Edited by Heritage Chief Cataloger Mark VanWinkle, with essays by Michael L. Carboneau, James C. Gray, John Dannreuther and Saul Teichman and illustrated by the collection of Julius Korein, M.D

Few varieties of U.S. coinage have been the subject of as much speculation, controversy and admiration as Gobrecht dollars.

Now Heritage Auction Galleries and Ivy Press have released the 136-page book Gobrecht Dollars, the most thorough review to date of the existing scholarship on these much sought-after U.S. coins.

“This reference book, the result of five-and-a-half-years of work, is intended for the general numismatist that is looking for a deeper understanding of these fascinating coins,” said Mark Van Winkle, editor of the tome and Chief Cataloger at Heritage Auctions. “It gathers together the diverse threads of the Gobrecht story without delving into the more speculative areas of die markers and their possible consequence for establishing emission sequences.”

The overriding question of emission sequences is an area that is, and has been, under investigation for some time and, it is reasoned, will eventually lead to a generally accepted striking order.

“Without a doubt this book is important to a wide range of numismatists, as this information has never been presented together so thoroughly,” said Van Winkle. “It is not, however, the last word on this fascinating series.”

The book brings together all the best known writings on Gobrecht dollars from the past 20 years and is based upon a series of three articles written by Jim Gray and Mike Carboneau in 1991, 2000, and 2001 and expounded upon by those two writers, along with scholarship by Van Winkle, John Dannreuther and Saul Teichman. The book brings together the most up-to-date findings about Gobrecht dollars based on the coins themselves as primary sources, rather than secondary sources (some of which date to 1860).

“Dannreuther makes a special contribution,” said Van Winkle, “with his articles dealing with the die clash line on the reverse of some 1836 dollars, previously thought to be a die scratch, as well as his discovery of the effacement of Gobrecht’s name from the post-1836 dies.” (more…)