1
245
bid online at
(800) 978-COIN (2646)
|
Session Four - Tuesday, June 3, 2014 6:00 PM
L
OVELY
G
EM
P
ROOF
1884 $1 G
OLD
I
NDIAN
Enlargement
1671
1884
.
PCGS graded Proof 67 PQ
. Wonderful light
golden toning on both sides. Only 1,006 minted. A splendid
piece with rolling gold toning. "Orange peel" surface as typ-
ical on most Proof gold of this era from the way the dies are
made. Devices and letters lightly frosted (though the grad-
ing holder carries no designation of this). The overall
appeal of this 1884 Gold Dollar is outstanding, while the
rarity in this grade is unquestioned. Regarding the latter,
with a decade-long speculator run on Gold Dollars and (to a
lesser extent) $3 Gold pieces, mintage were quite elevated
compared to years prior to 1879, the year the interest first
took off. Today, the certification provide clear census fig-
ures in the various grades. Of course, the top quality levels
are lightly populated.
Pop 4; none finer at PCGS
.
(
PCGS # 7634
)
Estimated Value .....................................$17,000 - 18,000
1672
1888
.
PCGS graded Genuine, Scratch - UNC Details.
A
hint of light tone, frosty throughout with light reddish golden
color (on U.S. gold coins, the red or pink tint stems from the
10% copper alloy which stregthens the coin, permitting longer
circulation before the surfaces become abraded). (
PCGS #
7589
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $300 - 325
$2.50 G
OLD
$2 . 50 Capped Bus t
1673
1798. Close Date PCGS graded Genuine AU Details
.
Attractive balanced gold toning both sides. A pleasing looking
coin despite its minor cleaning. This variety is twice as rare as
the other 1798 issue having 5 berries. This variety and BD-2
share something in common that is an exception to the 7+6 or
8+5 star arrangement for the obverse of most of this series.
Both of these varieties have six stars left of Liberty with seven
stars to her right, the only U.S. coins of any denomination with
this particular star configuration. This variety is the first to use
the new style reverse with “Thick Neck” eagle and 13 stars
around the eagle’s head, six vertical stripes in the shield, and
the punch by Robert Scot, the chief engraver at the time. This
replaced the John Smith Gardner reverse punch that was used
for the previous dates and varieties. (
PCGS # 97649
)
Estimated Value ..............................................$4,000 - 5,000
P
OPULAR
1802/1 $2.50 C
APPED
B
UST
1674
1802, 2 over 1. BD-1, R-4.
NGC graded AU-55
. Nice
even toning on both sides. A few tiny obverse circulation
abrasions, none particularly noteworthy. Only 3,035
minted. This is a strikingly attractive and original looking
About Uncirculated of the strictest standard for this desir-
able early gold design. Relatively sharp devices occur on
both sides; only the centers are weak, and this is margin-
ally so. Problem-free surfaces on the reverse. Some minor
disappearance of the dentils along the left obverse and
upper reverse is noted. Elsewhere, the dentils are plainly
visible. As is most of E PLURIBUS UNUM on the ribbon, with
only UN slightly indistinct. No “diagnostic” markers are
seen. The coin somehow escaped the damage and other
problems that plague many others in this brief series. The
design started in 1796 and ended in 1807. All have Liberty
wearing a fashionable (for the day) ladies’ mob cap, with
her long tresses streaming out from under it. A large curl at
her forehead.
Modern opinion has switched concerning the 1802 “over-
date.” Harry Bass, John Dannreuther, and other researchers
realized that the “overdate” status of this die was question-
able. The fact that there were no Quarter Eagles dated
1799, 1800, or 1801 should lend credence to the overdate
status of the 1802, but most now have come to the conclu-
sion that whatever is under the 2 is not the vestiges of a 1.
This single obverse, however, was paired with three differ-
ent reverse dies to create the most varieties of any date in
the Draped Bust Stars Quarter Eagle series.
(A numismatic curiosity is that the reverse dies for Capped
Bust Quarter Eagles were also used for similar-sized Bust
Dimes of the same period. The BD1 reverse comes paired
with 1802 JR-3 and 1803 JR-2 Dimes!)
Pop 8; 47 finer
.
(
PCGS # 7650
)
Estimated Value .................................... $13,000 - 14,000
