US Pattern Coins 0

[erwindoc]

Anyone here collect them?  I entered my boys in a contest and they got the Whitman book on Pattern coins.  Of course, I flipped through it.  Some are really impressive works of art!

[Just Bob]

I love to browse through my copy of Judd, but most of the patterns in there are out of my reach, financially. I would still like to own at least one, though. And, you are right - some of them are gorgeous.

[Coinbuf]

I absolutely love many of the Judd designated patterns, sadly I don't collect these as they are well out of my financial means. 

[physics-fan3.14]

I too love the history and art of many of the patterns. 

I too cannot afford to play in this playground. Some of them aren't too expensive, but many of them are. 

I have begun to branch out into some patterns of my Moroccan coinage. 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by physics-fan3.14

[RWB]

European and colonial pattern pieces - even in gold - are readily available at much more favorable prices than for the better U.S. patterns.

[World Colonial]

I have owned two from Bolivia in the past but none now.

As for US patterns which I presume is the intent of the OP, I have no interest in buying any.  Even as far back as 1987 when I considered buying what I recall as J-228 (1859 IHC with the shield reverse), all were too expensive.

Aside from a few elite pieces which are far above my price range, these transitional patterns are the only ones which interest me.  I consider the others disproportionately overpriced for what it actually is.

[Conder101]

I own one US pattern,an 1863 two cent with GOD OUR TRUST mottto, well worn.  I wouldn't mind owning a couple more but the prices tend to be out of my reach.

[erwindoc]

Roger, where does one find info about the patterns you are referencing?

Edited January 1, 2020 by erwindoc

[RWB]

23 minutes ago, erwindoc said:

Roger, where does one find info about the patterns you are referencing?

For an initial search, I suggest using Google for topics such as "British pattern coins" etc. After you've gotten your feet wet, go to the British and French national museum sites, and the Royal Mint Museum archive. European coin dealers have hundreds of web sites - the best seem to be in French and German, but that's just my opinion. CNG is a good start. Note the references given for various pattern pieces and go from there.

(NGC might be able to give you a list of the references they use in attributing non-US pattern pieces. Why not ask...?)

[physics-fan3.14]

3 hours ago, erwindoc said:

Roger, where does one find info about the patterns you are referencing?

Honestly, the easiest place to start is looking in Krause. At the end of each country's listing, there are pattern and essai pieces listed. Each country's entry also generally lists the specialist references for that country - if you want more detail, consult a copy of that country or region's specialist reference. Or, once you know the Krause number, you can generally tailor a google search for that particular coin. 

[mania]

There are a handful of resources to read up on US patterns.  One great source is a web site USPATTERNS.COM.  Complete listing of US Patterns by Judd and Pollack reference numbers plus a great photo library.  Both the Judd and a POLLOCK reference books a must.   Also check out Heritage and Stacks auction catalogues ...  0n occasion they host consignments of large quantities of Patterns and when they do they will provide a nice dialog of pattern history

Also a web site sponsored by the Harry Bass Foundations (http://hbrf.org/coin-collection/)  has information about patterns (most were at one time in the Harry Bass Collection)

Overall, Patterns is a marvelous part of American numismatic history and if one had a small budget might assemble a small type collection to represent the beauty.of a series.  All patterns are rare while a common pattern may have only 100 or so examples in existence .. but being so few people collect them the law of supply and demand makes them relatively affordable when compared to a regular minted counter part 

[numisport]

I bought the Whitman book on U.S. Pattern Coins a few years ago and I too was impressed about the beauty of early patterns. Aside from the obvious high prices the biggest problem for me would be the lack of gem pieces available. Most are damaged or impaired in some way that detracts from their eye appeal. I understand that after collecting early modern proofs (and 50's coins which have cameo devices) I could be spoiled to some extent. 

 

[MK Ultra]

Is the 1858 Large Cent considered a pattern coin?

[RWB]

Collectors have long dumped all sorts of things in the "Pattern Piece" category. 1858 large cents are among the things so dumped. Don Taxay tried to make sense out of the mess in his book on the subject, but it was all too confusing and difficult to catch on, regardless of Taxay's logic or good sense.

The Judd 10th edition and USpatterns.com try to keep things a little straighter, but that might await a full scale rewrite of Pollock's exmansive book.

[mania]

MK and RWB ... I am sure you are referring to a 1868 (Not 1858) piece ... Judd -610/611.  I would tend to understand USpatterns.com view that they were fantasy pieces for collectors as it would not seem logical to revisit the obsolete large cent design  abandoned 10 years earlier.

[RWB]

There are earlier, legitimate examples of casual use of obsolete dies on experimental pieces - typically to illustrate the scale of a proposed coin. But not in 1868 with large cents. Are the 1868 things pure copper or bronze? Anyone test them?