THE JACK LEE COLLECTION
Proof and Specimen Morgan and Peace Dollars complete
by dates and including some of the finest known examples
The name of Jack Lee is synonymous with gem Morgan
and Peace Dollars. He assembled what is widely acclaimed
as the finest set of these coins ever completed. NGC
had the opportunity to certify Mr. Lee's run of proof
and specimen dollars, and each of these coins was captured
in full color by PHOTO
PROOF's digital imaging process.
In addition to being remarkable for their superb state
of preservation, these dollars are important for the
completeness of the set. An example is found of each
date for which proofs were coined, and this set also
features exceedingly rare branch mint proofs and variant
finishes of the Peace Dollar. So beautiful are these
coins that any one of them would be a major highlight
of an advanced hobbyist's collection. Several pieces
are pedigreed to famous collections such as those of
the late Louis Eliasberg, Sr. and the Norweb Family.
Veterans of the Eliasberg Collection include both
types of the 1878 proof Morgan Dollar. Lee's 8-tailfeather
specimen was graded by NGC as PF-67 and is tied with
just two others for finest certified (all population
figures are taken from the January 1998 NGC Census Report).
His 7-tailfeather dollar, also ex Eliasberg, is the
finest certified by NGC at PF-67. Other Eliasberg silver
dollars now a part of the Lee Collection include his
1884 (PF-66) and 1891 (PF-66).
Pedigreed to the collection of the late Honorable
R. Henry Norweb and Emery Holden Norweb is Jack Lee's
1922 matte proof Peace Dollar. Struck with the low-relief
dies introduced that year, it is NGC-graded PF-64.
Other memorable dollars in the Lee Collection include
no less than three pieces which served as plate coins
in Wayne Miller's important reference, The Morgan and
Peace Dollar Textbook. All three are branch mint proofs,
the rarest of the rare, as normally only the Philadelphia
Mint made proof coins during that era. Struck to mark
special occasions, these exceedingly desirable dollars
include an 1879-O certified by NGC as PF-65, another
New Orleans Mint Morgan dated 1883-O (PF-64), an 1884-CC
(PF-66) and a product of the final year of coinage from
the Carson City Mint, a simply amazing 1893-CC silver
dollar graded by NGC as PF-67! Prooflike specimen strikings
include 1882-CC (SP MS-65) and 1884-O (SP MS-64). Among
the regular proof editions, several of the Lee coins
are either the finest certified by NGC for their respective
dates or are tied with just a few others for that honor.
Finest certified examples in the Lee Collection include
1878 7TF with the Reverse of 1878 (PF-67), 1879 (PF-68)
1880 (PF-69!), 1902 (PF-68) and 1904 (PF-68).
One of the great highlights of the Jack Lee Collection
is a run of 1921-22 Morgan and Peace Dollars which includes
five different coins! His Farran Zerbe proof (named
after the man who commissioned these pieces) of the
1921 Morgan Dollar is NGC-graded PF-66, tying it with
just one other for finest certified. The even more rare
Henry Chapman proof is a choice PF-63. Both editions
of the proof 1921 Peace Dollar are included, Lee's matte
proof grading PF-65 and his satin example being a delightful
PF-66 (the only one certified by NGC). The very rare,
low-relief matte proof 1922 Peace Dollar is also represented
by a PF-64 coin.
Among the most unusual items in this collection is
a very rare pattern silver dollar of 1885, Judd number
1747. It was coined in silver from the regular dies
of the 1885 Morgan Dollar, so it appears at first glance
to be an ordinary proof of that date, albeit a gem PF-66
example. In fact, this fascinating coin features an
experimental edge device consisting of thirteen raised
stars and the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM in raised letters.
This was envisioned as an aide to the blind, though
it was not adopted for a circulating coin until the
Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle of 1907.
The grading and PHOTO
PROOFing of the Jack Lee Collection of proof and
specimen Morgan and Peace Dollars was a memorable event
for NGC, and we'd like to share it with you. The complete
roster of this amazing set is presented below. The numbers
in the third column indicate the total number of examples
certified by NGC in that grade, followed by the number
graded higher (all figures taken from the January 1998
NGC Census Report).
Date
|
Grade |
Examples |
Pedigree |
 |
| 1878 8TF |
PF-67 |
3/0 |
Eliasberg |
| 1878 7TF R78 |
PF-67 |
1/0 |
Eliasberg |
| 1879 |
PF-68 |
1/0 |
|
| 1879 |
PF-68 |
1/0 |
|
|
| 1879-O |
PF-65 |
1/0 |
|
 
|
Date
|
Grade |
Examples |
Pedigree |
|
| 1880 |
PF-69 |
1/0 |
|
| 1881 |
PF-68 |
3/0 |
|
| 1882 |
PF-68 |
7/0 |
|
|
| 1882-CC |
SP MS-65 |
1/0 |
|
 
|
Date
|
Grade |
Examples |
Pedigree |
|
| 1883-O |
PF-64 |
1/0 |
|
 
|
Date
|
Grade |
Examples |
Pedigree |
|
| 1884 |
PF-66 |
14/5 |
Eliasberg |
|
| 1884-CC |
PF-66 |
1/0 |
|
 
|
Date
|
Grade |
Examples |
Pedigree |
|
| 1884-O |
SP MS-64 |
1/0 |
|
 
|
Date
|
Grade |
Examples |
Pedigree |
|
| 1885 |
PF-66 |
19/5 |
|
| 1885 J-1747 |
PF-66 |
1/0 |
|
| 1886 |
PF-66 |
17/5 |
|
| 1887 |
PF-67 |
3/1 |
|
| 1888 |
PF-66 |
10/4 |
|
| 1889 |
PF-67 |
7/2 |
|
| 1890 |
PF-68 |
3/0 |
|
| 1891 |
PF-66 |
22/13 |
Eliasberg |
| 1892 |
PF-68 |
3/0 |
|
 |
| 1893-CC |
PF-67 |
1/0 |
|
 
|
Date
|
Grade |
Examples |
Pedigree |
|
| 1894 |
PF-68 |
10/0 |
|
| 1895 |
PF-68 |
3/0 |
|
| 1896 |
PF-68 |
7/0 |
|
| 1897 |
PF-68 |
3/0 |
|
| 1898 |
PF-68 |
5/1 |
|
| 1899 |
PF-66 |
21/13 |
|
| 1900 |
PF-68 |
5/0 |
|
| 1901 |
PF-67 |
12/2 |
|
| 1902 |
PF-68 |
1/0 |
|
| 1903 |
PF-68 |
2/0 |
|
| 1904 |
PF-68 |
1/0 |
|
| 1921 Morgan |
Zerbe PF-66 |
2/0 |
|
| 1921 Morgan |
Chapman PF-63 |
5/5 |
|
| 1921 Peace |
Matte PF-65 |
1/0 |
|
|
| 1921 Peace |
Satin PF-66 |
1/0 |
|
 
|
Date
|
Grade |
Examples |
Pedigree |
|
| 1922 Low relief |
Matte PF-64 |
2/2 |
Norweb |
|
