1877 Game Scoring Device Fashioned out of a Pair of Trade Dollars. Very Fine.；Exquisite workmanship, the main part of this item was originally a San Francisco Mint trade dollar -- not necessarily an 1877-S -- which had most of the obverse, beginning just inside the rim, but including the denticles, precisely machined out on a lathe to the depth of about 1 mm. Then, within the hollowed-out part, the numerals 1 through 7 were engraved and filled in with black enamel in a circular path spaced evenly around the lip of the hollowed-out base. Another trade dollar, this one dated 1877, was shaved down to leave only the obverse design on a thin disc of metal. The edges of this piece were trimmed to fit precisely within the hollow made in the first trade dollar and the two were mounted together on an axle at the center. A round window was cut through the obverse piece which then could be rotated to reveal the numbers that were engraved within the base piece. The result was a very cleverly made item, all the more intriguing because of a tiny PAT.APPD / FOR counterstamp placed on the reverse. One wonders if the Patent Office would grant a patent for an item made from trade dollars. Considering that trade dollars were not legal tender and could be purchased for their silver value at banks (about 60 cents at the time), it is conceivable. However, having never encountered a similar specimen, it is doubtful to this cataloger that a significant number of these were produced. What game these were meant to be used with is debatable. Whist, a card game which was very popular in the late 19th century, had one variant based on taking seven tricks, but that is only a possibility. In any event, this basic design could have been easily adapted to accommodate any number of scoring systems.；Purchased from Bowers and Merena Galleries, date not recorded. Company tag included.
