1805 10C 5 Berries MS64 Prooflike NGC....

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Incredible Fully Prooflike 1805 JR-1 Dime, MS64 PL

1805 10C 5 Berries MS64 Prooflike NGC. JR-1, R.3. The reverse is rotated about 30 degrees clockwise. Both sides have brilliant silver surfaces that are framed by vivid gold toning along the borders, especially on the obverse. The surfaces are amazing with only the slightest planchet flakes, tiny abrasions, and minuscule hairlines. Both sides have adjustment marks or flan striations, mostly at the center. We believe that the striations or adjustment marks may be the cause of the weak strike.

Die State. The reverse is cracked through the bases of ICA, across the stem, tail feathers, and arrows, to the U in UNITED. Heavy die rust joins the stem end to the border.

Condition Census. Although it is probably short of the finest existing 1805 JR-1 dime, this piece with its deeply mirrored fields is undoubtedly among the most appealing.

Appearances. Plated in Superior's 1973 and 1977 catalogs.

Obverse Die. The 1 nearly touches the lowest curl and the top of 5 has a spine extending into the bust. LIB are close, BERTY are wide. Star 1 is far from the curl, star 7 is farther from L, star 8 is very close to the Y, and star 13 is close to the bust.
State a. Perfect.

Reverse Die. Five berries in the branch. Each of the six stars in the top row touch the clouds, and star 12 joins the upper beak and ribbon, and star 13 is close to the ribbon and eagle's head, but touches neither. The first A touches the third and fourth feathers, ME are lightly joined, and a leaf touches the right base of I. All other letters in the legend are separated from each other and none touch any of the devices or border. The middle outside berry is on a long stem and the other four berries are all on short stems. Unlike most other Heraldic Eagle reverse dies of the denomination, the eagle holds 12 arrows. Most dies have but 10 arrows.
State a. Perfect. State b. A fine crack joins the based of ICA, crosses the stem, tail feathers, and arrows. A heavier crack or die rust joins the stem to the border. State c. The State b crack continues to the U in UNITED.

Heritage Commentary. The reverse rotation on this piece is between coin turn and medal turn alignment. Do other rotations exist? This is perhaps an area for considerable investigation.

Consignor Commentary. Both Stu Levine and I believe this should be called Deep Mirror Prooflike. This is the only fully prooflike Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle dime I have seen. It may have been struck as a specimen. Everyone who has seen the collection spends some extra time enjoying this piece.

Provenance. Ex: Superior (10/1973), lot 265; Superior (6/1977), lot 799; William L. Subjack (1/1992). Possibly earlier from B. Max Mehl's sale of the Atwater Collection, June 1946, lot 898.

Additional Commentary. The quality and deeply mirrored surfaces have led us to ask if this may have been a Specimen or proof coin. Criteria for such pieces are little known and relatively uncertain. The best standards that we have seen appear on page 44 of the October 1992 Stack's catalog of the Floyd Starr Collection. Below, we record each of the individual points, and how this coin fares:

1. A Specimen should be better centered than a business strike, but this is not vital. This 1805 JR-1 dime has centering that is nearly perfect with completely even borders around the entire obverse and reverse.
2. A Specimen should be better struck, also not essential. Although weak at the center, the strike of this 1805 JR-1 dime is exceptional. The central weakness is attributed to adjustment marks on the reverse.
3. A Specimen should have an above average planchet, free from disfiguring flaws and inclusions. This 1805 JR-1 dime has no planchet flaws visible on either side.
4. A Specimen should only have light adjustment marks, but they should not be obvious. This 1805 JR-1 dime has adjustment marks at the center of the reverse.
5. A Specimen should be struck from 'fresh' dies. Faint cracks are permissible. This 1805 JR-1 dime has a perfect obverse die with faint cracks on the reverse.
6. A Specimen should be struck on polished planchets, polished dies, or both. This 1805 JR-1 dime has mirrored surfaces on both sides suggesting a polished flan. Faint die polishing lines are evident on the reverse, suggesting that at least the reverse die has been polished.
7. A Specimen should have mirror brilliance in the fields. This 1805 JR-1 dime has mirror brilliance apparent in the obverse and reverse fields, meeting the devices crisply without any transitional area. The reverse is not fully mirrored between the vertical shield stripes.
8. A Specimen should have evidence of double striking, although this is not vital. This 1805 JR-1 dime has no evidence of a double strike on either side.
From The Ed Price Collection.(Registry values: P5)

Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 4478, GSID# 3969)

Metal: 89.24% Silver, 10.76% Copper
Weight: 2.70 grams
ASW: 0.08oz

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