Jon Lorenzo Business Strike Trade Dollar Collection
1875

Owner Comments:

THIS COIN: This Type II reverse example is a shining and essentially untoned Gem, uncommonly well defined with a particularly bold impression on the eagle's talons. The luster on each side is intense beneath just a hint of haze, and the overall eye appeal is excellent.
BACKGROUND: This year was the lowest business strike of Trade Dollars from the Philadelphia Mint with only 218,200 coins struck. In a reversal of trends, a scarcity of chopmarked coins suggests that this issue was primarily used in the United States rather than exported to China as had been the practice. Also, in an attempt to improve the quality of the strike, 1875 marks the introduction of the TYPE II reverse. The old reverse hub, TYPE I, shows a berry below the eagle's claw. The TYPE II reverse shows no berry. Both TYPE I and TYPE II reverses exist with TYPE II being more plentiful.