The unique former Jimmy Hayes coin. This piece is misdescribed in both Judd and Pollock. It is not the regular dies before the designer's initial 'M' was added. This used to be J1795 in earlier editions of Judd. It is struck from completely different dies. On this piece, the olive branch in Liberty's hand is slightly different from the one used on the regular issue. According to Stacks' Hayes sale catalog, this piece has actually had 2 leaves scratched off the coin. Stacks mentions that the coin apparently is the one mentioned in an October 22, 1916 letter addressed to A.M. Joyce, Superintendent of the U.S. Mint which is excerpted below. "I am returning to you herewith two of the four sample quarters you sent me, one being blank on one side with the reverse design on the other, and the other being your number 4, as submitted in your letter of October 20th." "With one slight alteration, the design as it appears on No. 4 is acceptable. The slight alteration referred to is the elimination of the two leaves in the angle of the letter "L" in the word 'Liberty'. You will notice that I have scratched these two leaves off the coin I am returning to you. With this slight change you may go ahead and make up the dies for the finished coin. I have kept here No. 2 and No. 3, which you can charge to me." The complete pedigree on the illustrated piece above is Ex: William Mc Adoo Estate, Lester Merkin, Jimmy Hayes, Hayes Sale (Stack's, 10/85), Jay Cline, Superior 10/90 (not sold), Heritage 1/04, southern collection, Simpson-Heritage 8/21 - NGC65 and is believed to be the 4th piece noted in the letter with the 2 leaves scraped off. Apparently the 3rd coin mentioned in the letter was discovered by Heritage masquerading as a regular issue and has since been certified by NGC as NGC61 in June 2018. It does not have without the 2 leaves scratched off. It was offered in Heritage 8/18 ANA sale and is illustrated below courtesy of NGC. Image at the top of the page is courtesy of www.coinsite.com.