Owner Comments:
This is the second silver variety, 3-D, with a rarity rating of R8. There are only two known survivors and this variety was unknown until 1886. The finest example, the Newman specimen, was offered in a December 17,1886, English sales catalogue and its existence was reported to US collectors for the first time in the January 1887 edition of the American Journal of Numismatics. The Newman specimen was auctioned last year by Heritage Auctions. My coin was purchased before 1911 by HO Granberg and became the third known silver Continnental Dollar. It was first exhibited at the Chicago 1911 ANA Convention. It was exhibited again at the 1914 ANS Chicago and was identified on p.19 of the ANS catalogue. The Newman specimen was plated in the same catalogue. It then became part of the "Col" E.H.R. Green collection; Theodore Grand Collection (Stack's 12/1947), Lot 10; F.C.C. Boyd; The Boyd Estate; John J. Ford Jr.; Ford Collection, Part 1, Stack's 10/2003, Lot 7. Donald Partrick was the winning bidder at that auction. Again, I feel previledged to be the new curator of it and believe coins of this importance should be shared. I hope you feel the same way. Enjoy!
Update 3/30/15:
THE NUMISMATIST
January 1907, p. 49, "Uncle Sam's Fifteen Rarest Much Prized by Collectors."
Ranked 13 with an estimated value of $500.
June 1909, P. 177, "The First Silver Dollar for the United States"
Article about H.O. Granberg's recent acquisition of the finest silver EG Fecit copy, this one is the second. The article states, "In point of rarity, in the opinion of Mr. Granberg, this rare reminder of the great struggle of freedom completely outclasses any of the gold pieces, since issued by private coining companies, which have sold for prices up to $3,000. The other dollar, the above example, from this die in silver is owned by a gentleman in Philadelphia (Col. James W. Ellsworth), who considers it the most interesting and valuable piece in his collection--and he owns one of the finest collections in the United States. There is also a specimen from the unsigned dies now in the Garret collection which is deposited in the Library of Princeton University." The last reference is to the 1-C variety and it is the coin in this collection.