Unique Pair of PROOF Uncancelled
Martha Washington Dies
Used to Strike Half Dollar Experimental
Test Pieces for U.S. Judd #2131-2143
NGC Certified & Encapsulated
UNIQUE in Private Hands
$250,000

Martha Washington dies were used by the U.S. Mint
and contracted vendors for experimental testing.

This is the only known set of PROOF Uncancelled Martha Washington Half Dollar-sized dies in private hands. Martha Washington dies have become the U.S. Mint's all-purpose design for testing new compositions, surfaces and planchet sizes. These experimental strikings were conducted both inside the Mint and outside by companies contracted by the U.S. Mint. Companies within the United States included IDX Inc, PMX Industries, and Olin Brass Corporation while Schuler AG in Germany struck coins overseas. Schuler AG is the supplier of Schuler coin presses to the United States Mint to strike our coinage.

These PROOF Uncancelled Martha Washington Half Dollar-sized dies are featured on the cover of Mint Error News Magazine Issue #86. There are only two other Martha Washington Half Dollar-Sized Uncancelled Dies known in private hands, and those struck mint state test pieces. The first one discovered was featured both in Coin Week and on the cover of Mint Error News Magazine Issue #44 (Spring 2018).

Martha Washington dies have "fantasy designs" intended to avoid creating rarities with regular coinage motifs. The design of these proof dies was used by the U.S. Mint for metallurgical testing beginning in 1965 until 2011 when the dies were redesigned. The obverse features a bust of Martha Washington, with the inscription "VIRGINIA" above and the date "1759" (the year she married George Washington) below. The reverse typically features an image of Mount Vernon. These Martha Washington proof dies and test pieces are featured in the U.S. Patterns website (uspatterns.com).

This unique set of PROOF Uncancelled Martha Washington Half Dollar-sized dies belong in a premier collection of U.S. patterns or unique numismatic treasures. These dies are part of the U.S. Mint's history of experimenting and striking pattern coins prior to producing our nation's coins for circulation. The story of the Martha Washington dies and test strikes, as it unfolds, is one of the most interesting numismatic developments in decades.

Featured on the cover of Mint Error News Magazine Issue 86:

Martha Washington Obverse Die Used To Strike Half Dollar Experimental Test Pieces For U.S. Judd #2131-2143 There are only three Martha Washington Half Dollar-sized Uncancelled Obverse Dies in private hands, two mint state and one proof. There is only one proof Martha Washington Half Dollar-sized Uncancelled Reverse Die known in private hands. This half dollar obverse Martha Washington Die was featured on the cover of Mint Error News Magazine Issue 44 (Spring 2018). I discovered the first known Martha Washington Test Pieces, of ANY denomination in 2000. It was struck on a U.S. cent planchet. Coin World featured this discovery on their front page on August 7th, 2000. Since then, there have been Martha Washington Test Pieces struck on the 5c, 10c, 25c, 50c and $1 size denominations. Different metal compositions and surfaces were used in these experimental test pieces. Click here to read more...

Martha Washington Reverse Die Used To Strike 1 Cent Experimental Test Pieces For U.S. Judd #2180 This is the only known Martha Washington Cent-sized Uncancelled Die in private hands. It was featured on the cover of Mint Error News Magazine Issue 51. There are only four other Martha Washington Half Dollar-sized Uncancelled Dies known in private hands, two mint state and two proof. They were used to strike the half dollar obverse for the experimental patterns. These Half Dollar-sized obverse Martha Washington Dies were purchased by Mike Byers. The first one discovered was featured both in Coin Week and on the cover of Mint Error News Magazine Issue #44 (Spring 2018). Click here to read more...

Mike Byers' discovery was featured in a front page article in Coin World Copyright story reprinted by permission from Page 1 and Page 16 of the August 7, 2000 issue of COIN WORLD, Sidney, OH (coinworld.com)

Martha Washington Test Pieces The U.S. Mint conducted metallurgical tests in 1999 on the golden colored manganese-clad planchets which would later be used for the Sacagawea Dollar. I discovered one of the three known Martha Washington Test Pieces struck on a Sacagawea Dollar planchet. It was certified by NGC as a dollar-sized test piece weighing 8.0 grams and was graded MS 66. It is listed as Judd #2185 on page 294 of eighth edition of United States Pattern Coins, Experimental and Trial Pieces. Click here to read more...

Martha Washington Test Pieces are featured in my
NLG Award winning book, World's Greatest Mint Errors: