1
239
bid online at
(800) 978-COIN (2646)
|
Session Four - Tuesday, June 3, 2014 6:00 PM
F
INEST
G
RADED
J
UDD
1663 A
T
PCGS
Enlargement
1647
1880 Pattern Half Eagle. Copper, Reeded Edge. Judd-1663. Pollock-1863 Rarity 8
.
PCGS graded Proof 65 Brown PQ.
CAC
Approved
. Mostly brown with slight traces of mint red here and there. The regular issue design for the With Motto Liberty half eagle. Struck
in copper with a reeded edge. This example is sharply struck with mirrored fields and outstanding reflective devices. Both sides naturally
toned color with few hairlines, the result of careful storage early on and continuing to the present. Only a few examples known. A gem.
Pop
1; none finer at PCGS
. (
PCGS # 62048
)
Estimated Value ................................................................................................................................................................... $20,000-UP
$1 G
OLD
$1 Li be r t y
M
INT
S
TATE
1849-C $1 G
OLD
L
IBERTY
Enlargement
1648
1849-C. Closed Wreath
.
PCGS graded MS-60
. Mostly untoned. Only 150 examples are estimated to have survived. Produced in the first
year of the Gold Dollar series, the 1849-C is an popular coin among collectors who focus in this handsome and important denomination. Of
course, C-mint collectors will also be fond of the '49-C, with its Closed Wreath variety. While not the great rarity of its Open Wreath counter-
part, the Closed Wreath is a scarce coin all the same, one that becomes progressively more difficult to find with grade. In terms of overall rar-
ity among C-mint gold dollars, the 1849-C Closed Wreath is surpassed by only the 1849-C Open Wreath, 1850-C, and 1859-C.
The strike on both sides of this coin is outstanding for this often indifferently produced denomination. There is slight rounding of detail over
Liberty's ear, but the balance of the hair and other devices are sharp. The color is light golden and fields somewhat Prooflike.
Pop 4; 15
finer, 4 in 61, 6 in 62, 5 in 63
. (
PCGS # 7505
)
Die Notes: On June 10 and on June 13, die pairs for 1849-C gold dollars were shipped from the Philadelphia Mint (where dies for branch mints
were made) to Charlotte. On July 10, two more reverses were sent. Most probably, the shipment of June 10 had the "old" reverse with open
wreath, as used on Philadelphia Mint coins earlier in the year, but in this instance with a tiny C mintmark creating the 1849-C Open Wreath of
which just five specimens are known today.
From the other dies were made the 1849-C Closed Wreath, to the extent of 11,634 pieces, a quantity just about half of that of the next small-
est production, that of the Dahlonega Mint, and but a tiny fraction of that registered at Philadelphia. The 1849-C gold dollars were placed qui-
etly into circulation, apparently without any ceremony or special notice. Not a single example was set aside for the Mint Cabinet, according to
researches by the Harry Bass Foundation, which provides a wealth of information on the Gold Dollar series on its website.
Estimated Value ............................................................................................................................................................... $6,500 - 7,000
