Two-Piece Set of 1912 Pattern Buffalo Nickels. Uniface Obverse and

Rare and Intriguing Two-Piece 1912 Pattern Buffalo Nickel Electrotrial Set From the Estate of James Earle Fraser Two-Piece Set of 1912 Pattern Buffalo Nickels. Uniface Obverse and Reverse Electrotrials. Design by James Earle Fraser. White Metal. Plain Edge. Genuine (PCGS). Both coins are individually encapsulated by PCGS, in two separate holders. Included are: Uniface Obverse, Judd-C1912-1, Pollock-5165, 3.62 grams, 55.9 grains, similar to the adopted regular issue Buffalo nickel design, but with smaller-size date digits and no designer's initial; and Uniface Reverse, Judd-C1912-2, Pollock-5170, 4.13 grams, 63.8 grains, similar to the Type I design adopted for regular issue coinage in 1913, but with smaller letters in the denomination FIVE CENTS, hyphens instead of periods between the words in the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, tiny letters in the Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, and minor differences in the design of the bison. This offering follows on our recent sale of another two-piece electrotrial set of this same type, PCGS MS-64, which realized an outstanding $122,000 in our August 2026 Global Showcase Auction, lot 2048. That set has since been donated to a museum, meaning that the set offered here is likely to be the only one available for private ownership for the foreseeable future. These items may appear unusual at first glance, but they are important part of the design process that led to the popular Buffalo nickel that made its debut as a regular U.S. Mint issue in 1913. These electrotrials were made by Medallic Art Company at the request of Buffalo nickel designer James Earle Fraser to illustrate what some of his early sketch models would look like in coin form. As explained by Roger W. Burdette in his 2007 reference Renaissance of American Coinage: 1909-1915: Fraser's next step, as has been mentioned elsewhere in the Buffalo nickel story, was unusual: he had reductions of some of the sketch models made by Medallic Art Company to make coin-size "electroshells" or electrotypes (also called galvanos). The thin metal shell was filled with tin or type-metal to give it strength and sometimes painted or plated to simulate its final color. It was these small metal pieces that substituted for mint-struck pattern coins, and which are important in the final evolution of the Buffalo nickel design. Once Fraser had captured the imagination of secretary [of the Treasury] MacVeagh, and director [of the Mint] Roberts by showing them what the Buffalo nickel would look like, he could then proceed to make more finished models that would eventually be used to cut reductions and coinage hubs. Since they were made from reductions of sketch models, these electrotypes were not intended to show full design detail and, instead, are characterized by overall soft design elements. The two-piece uniface obverse and reverse set offered here was obtained from the estate of James Earle and Laura Gardin Fraser prior to our (Bowers and Ruddy's) July 1981 William R. Sieck Collection sale. This provenance proves conclusively that these are legitimate pattern electrorials made at James Earle Fraser's request. In email correspondence with Stack's Bowers Galleries prior to preparation of our August 2026 Global Showcase Auction, Roger W. Burdette offered a few more insights into these intriguing pieces: None of the electrotypes were precise. Fraser's purpose in using them was to keep MacVeagh interested and involved until he was committed. They served the purpose of pattern pieces without all the delay, and interference. (We sometimes forget how radical the Buffalo nickel was back then.) Then Fraser had a design accepted and could complete models quickly and efficiently... Both examples have been plated or painted to simulate nickel five-cent pieces. Some light carbon build up is noted for the generally charcoal-gray uniface obverse piece, the lighter uniface reverse piece in pewter-olive gray. An exciting offering - one that will appeal to both pattern specialists and advanced Buffalo nickel enthusiasts. The uniface obverse is accompanied by ANACS Photo Certificate No. E-9230-H dated April 2, 1981, and registered to Bowers & Ruddy Galleries. The certificate describes this piece as "genuine original" and "USA 1912 Five Cents - Private Pattern Electrotype by J.E. Fraser." (Total: 2 coins; 1 ANACS Photo Certificate) Provenance: From the Charles "Cheech" Litman Collection. Earlier ex James Earle and Laura Gardin Fraser estate; Fred Weinberg, Numismatics Ltd.; our (Bowers and Ruddy's) William R. Sieck Collection sale, July 1981, lots 2420 and 2422, respectively. The two-piece set of these uniface electrotrials that sold as lot 2048 in our Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction were traced back to Bowers and Ruddy's July 1981 sale in Stack's October 1988 sale. After we received the present two-piece set on consignment, however, plate matching allowed us to determine that the examples sold in our Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction are not ex Bowers and Ruddy's July 1981 sale.

Stima:€0.89

Vedi tutti gli oggetti diStack's BowersoMonete & Banconote