Undervalued
series
Take a look at Classic Head gold by Mike Sussman
The
third Mint Engraver, William Kneass, designed the Classic
Head gold coins. The Classic Head motif was used for quarter
eagles from 1834 to 1839 and half eagles from 1834 to 1838.
The appointment of Kneass may have been a result of his friendship
with Adam Eckfeldt who was the second Chief Coiner at the
Mint.
In 1835 Kneass suffered a
debilitating stroke and died in office five years later. Kneass
had been a field engineer in the War of 1812 and helped fortify
the city of Philadelphia. He was an engraver of plates for
books and had his business on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.
In addition to line engraving he also made intaglio prints.
He worked in two firms, Kneass & Delaker and Young &
Kneass & Co.
At the Mint, Kneass was known
as a popular and useful Engraver, who worked well and quickly
to furnish all the dies that were needed for coinage during
his time of office. He was remembered as, “a warm gentleman
of the old-school, who had the rare quality of engaging and
winning the esteem and affection of children and youth.”
From the time of his stroke until his death, Assistant Engraver
Christian Gobrecht did the pattern and die work at the Mint.
Kneass was succeeded by Gobrecht as Chief Engraver on December
21, 1840.
The Classic Head design was
among his last works. It portrayed Liberty wearing a LIBERTY
inscribed headband, similar to John Reich’s Classic
Head large cent design. The reverse showed an eagle with outspread
wings and head facing left. It had a shield on its breast
and arrows and olive branches in its talons. After the first
two years of issue, the metallic content of the Classic Head
coins was increased to 90% gold.
Specifications: Weight: $2½ 4.18 grams; $5 8.36 grams Composition: .8992 gold, .1008 silver (changed
to .900 gold in 1837) Diameter: $2½ 18.2 mm; $5 22.5 mm Edge: reeded