No official documentation on the striking of Proof or Specimen 1907-D Liberty double eagles has ever come to light, but at least three examples have been certified by the leading grading services in recent years, two specimen strikings at NGC and a single proof at PCGS.
The unique Proof has been mentioned in the literature for many years, has a long auction history, and is struck from the die pair designated JD-1 in John Dannreuther’s series reference. Walter Breen notes it was struck on September 30, 1907. Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth suggest the coin was struck to “commemorate the end of the Liberty Head design, which began in 1850.”
We suspect the two Specimen strikings were produced at the same time, and for the same reason. Those coins were both struck from the same dies as the JD-1 proof example, with the left base of the 1 over the right edge of a dentil and the mintmark positioned slightly right of center, so a line drawn from the upright of the D in DOLLARS is in line with the right side of the mintmark. The pattern of die polish in the lower part of the clear spaces in the shield also matches that on the Proof example. In fact, we can find no diagnostic differences between the two formats.
We can find no prior auction history for the coin we are offering in our upcoming June 4-8 Long Beach Signature Auction. This piece was recently certified by NGC, and at an assigned grade of SP65 it is the finest certified Proof or specimen strike by a full three grade points.
The design elements are sharply detailed throughout, with intricate detail on Liberty’s hair and the eagle’s feathers. Like most Proofs of this era, the devices are not heavily frosted and display minimal contrast with the deeply reflective fields. The well-preserved orange-gold surfaces show no mentionable post-strike distractions. Overall eye appeal is terrific.
This coin will be a cornerstone of an advanced collection or type set.
