Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 4

The Dr. Jon Kardatzke Coin and Currency Collection, Part 1

Trade Dollars

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1446		1873 Trade Dollar. NGC graded MS-64. Oh wow! What do they want in a nice Trade dollar?! If this were an 81-S Morgan you can bet your bootstrings it'd be in a 65 case, no matter what service you sent it to. Because it's a rare coin, and a good date besides, they've gotten "tough" (that's the excuse so often heard--"we're tough on tough coins," yadda yadda yadda). A standard should be a standard, but it's not and it cannot be, due to the nature of coin grading--as much art as science. So, okay, take advantage of the situation and go for this beauty. It's frosty and white, with ample luster and "freshness" in abundance. The fields show only a few stray scattered marks, though there is a sizable but light scuff by the eagle's right wing tip. The strike is bold everywhere--everywhere! The stars, the head, the eagle, you name it, it's there! Here's a chance to believe in yourself, instead of the experts, and acquire a truly delightful and elusive coin. View details	Realized $2,990
Lot 1447		1873 Trade Dollar. Proof 60. Darkish "sulfur blue" color (possibly not natural) obscures myriad fine hairlines. Without a glass, however, this coin is far from displeasing. The mirrors are nearly intact and the coin has no marks or any of the various problems so often seen. It's also a very good Proof date, usually not struck to the specifications of later Proofs in this series. So it will find many appreciative eyes. View details	Realized $1,093
Lot 1448		1873 Trade Dollar. PCGS graded AU-55. Toned a satiny silver-gray with a dark dollop of color on the eagle and a few specks on the obverse. Well struck. View details	Realized $242
Lot 1449		1873-CC Trade Dollar. AU-55. Bright and shiny, but with the all too familiar hairlines in the fields. This coin, like many others in this extensive collection, would look a lot better if it was allowed to tone down. Fairly low mintage date. View details	Realized $1,035
Lot 1450		1873-S Trade Dollar. ANACS graded MS-61. Light golden toning around the periphery and well struck. Moderate handling marks, none of consequence. View details	Realized $518
Lot 1451		1874 Trade Dollar. Proof 60. A lovely coin for the grade, but there are two long staple scratches on the obverse, hidden in the deep gray toning. Apparently some mutton-headed dim wit tried taking this gorgeous coin out of a two by two holder without removing one of the staples, scratching it from left of the date up to the third star, saw what was happening, jammed it back in the holder, placing another scratch from the third star down to the rim near the date. What a shame, for this is a lovely coin, and even with the scratch it is still acceptable. View details	Realized $805
Lot 1452		1874-CC Trade Dollar. AU-50. Nice on the obverse, but the reverse has some pin scratches near the arrows and around the eagle, hidden by their nearness to the devices. Frosty luster and nice toning. View details	Realized $276
Lot 1453		1874-S Trade Dollar. MS-63. Frosty and untoned, with moderate to light hairlines in the fields. Boldly struck and with only tiny handling marks. There is a hidden scratch along Liberty's left arm and a small group of scrapes near the leaves under the eagle's wing. Starting to tone on the lower reverse. View details	Realized $1,208
Lot 1454		1875 Trade Dollar. AU-50. A choice coin for the grade, abundant luster and mint-fresh surfaces. Not hairlined or banged up in any way. View details	Realized $920
Lot 1455		1875-S Trade Dollar. AU-50. Subdued luster in the fields beneath silvery toning. Well struck and pleasing for the grade. View details	Realized $196
Lot 1456		1876 Trade Dollar. Sharpness of MS-60 but dull and cleaned. Starting to retone on the obverse, but still a bit dull. The reverse is flashy and bright. View details	Realized $288
Lot 1457		1876-S Trade Dollar. AU-58. Frosty luster and well struck, with a hint of gold toning starting to form. Moderate handling marks. View details	Realized $299
Lot 1458		1877 Trade Dollar. AU-53. A choice coin for the grade, excellent toning and frosty. View details	Realized $311
Lot 1459		1877 Trade Dollar. VF-35. Natural gray surfaces that are clean except for a cut at the top reverse. View details	Realized $83
Lot 1460		1878 Trade Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 63 Premium Quality. A choice example of the Trade dollar. And of course, importantly, the first of the Proof-only dates from Philadelphia. Only 900 un-mintmarked Trade dollars were coined this year, and a lot of those Proofs, as we have seen over the years, have not fared too well. Many went into circulation or at the very least were carried in pockets as keepsakes. To find a cameoed, frosted and deeply mirrored example like this is to find a sort of treasure. The brilliant silver is layered by a delicate and pretty film of golden iridescence. PCGS has graded a couple of hundred of these, some that must be fabulous, but few could have much more eye-appeal than this one. So, if you want a really nice Trade dollar without raiding your kids' college fund, this should fit the bill perfectly. View details	Realized $2,128
Lot 1461		1878 Trade Dollar. Proof 62. Toned with a bit of rose and sunset hues over the deeply mirrored fields. Minor hairlines, as always on the delicate mirror fields. Scarce and always in demand. View details	Realized $1,610
Lot 1462		1878-CC Trade Dollar. PCGS graded VF-20. Natural gray in color and well struck. Without the usual circulation marks that are often found on coins from this mint and era. A faint "X" in toning is noted on the obverse. This is a low mintage date, made even lower by the mint melting a large portion of those struck. View details	Realized $863
Lot 1463		1878-S Trade Dollar. AU-50. A problem free original coin that is beautiful to behold. View details	Realized $219
Lot 1464		1879 Trade Dollar. Proof 60. Retoned to a deep rose and gold hue. The fields have minor handling marks and hairlines, as expected for the grade. View details	Realized $1,035
Lot 1465		1880 Trade Dollar. Proof 58. A proof which must have spent a brief time in circulation. Cleaned and retoned with mottled gray on the obverse, and a splash of color on the lower reverse. The fields show hairlines and minor tick marks from handling. Still scarce and better than some we have seen. View details	Realized $1,006
Lot 1466		1881 Trade Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 63. A choice coin for the grade, untoned and with excellent contrast between the mirror fields and frosted devices. A few minor hairlines, but far less than normally encountered. View details	Realized $2,415
Lot 1467		1882 Trade Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 64. An elegant coin having just wispy hairlines and a faint streak of planchet porosity right before Liberty's knees. Set against the deeply cameoed mirrors, and outlined by a ring of gorgeous bright iridescent blue toning on the peripheries, Liberty upon her rock (symbol of the land) and the fierce eagle and all the minor devices seem to float on a pool of silver. Proof-only date with 1,097 coined. You've gotta love this one! View details	Realized $3,450
Lot 1468		1882 Trade Dollar. Proof 58. Cleaned to the point that the mirror fields are now satiny without the reflective quality. Still a rare date, untoned with sharply struck devices. A coin that has been "improved" a few too many times. View details	Realized $920
Lot 1469		1883 Trade Dollar. Proof 55. The obverse is fully mirrored with only minor handling marks and hairlines, the reverse is dull from some bizarre cleaning effort which resulted in a satiny appearance in the fields. A proof only issue, any coin of this date is scarce and in demand. Only 979 struck in all, far too many of which were mishandled. View details	Realized $1,093
Lot 1470		The Olsen/ Ewalt/ Kardatzke 1884 Trade Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 50. PCGS has labeled this famous coin PR50, but frankly that puzzles us. It has been cleaned, everyone knows that as it has appeared in a number of famous auctions: the Mehl/Olsen sale of Nov. 7, 1944, as lot 997; Stack's George Ewalt sale of Nov. 22, 1965, as lot 42; Stack's Emmons sale of Sept. 19, 1969, as lot 814; Ivy's 1980 ANA sale as lot 1809; RARCOA's Auction '84 sale, again as lot 1809; and Superior's Hoffecker sale of Feb. 8, 1987, as lot 1446A, and Worrell sale of Sept. 1993, as lot 1324. The coin was usually called Proof-60, cleaned with hairlines. For some reason, unknown to us, PCGS decided to deduct a lot of points and call it "50." But the coin has absolutely no wear, which 10 points below "60" would indeed imply, wouldn't it? And then, what is the meaning of "PR60" if not to describe a coin such as this, adding that it is cleaned. In any event . Only 10 pieces were minted, causing this to become one of the most celebrated coins in American numismatics. The present cataloguer finds the piece to be highly attractive, that is to have its own eye-appeal, despite the obvious swirling hairlines. It is a bright silver in color (evidently it has been dipped since it appeared in the 1984 Apostrophe Sale; see previous catalogues for comments on its color). Like the other 1884 Trades, it can most likely be traced back to the estate of William Idler. The 1884 Trade dollar was not known to exist prior to 1908. Since then, it has appeared regularly but infrequently at auction. Usually years pass between offerings (by estates most often), as their owners rarely wanted to part with them. Here then is one of the American classics. Its sale offers a chance to add your own name to the ranks of the famous who have possessed one--names such as Dunham, Newcomer, Col. Green, Jerome Kern, Amon Carter, Atwater, Eliasberg, Adolf Menjou, Wolfson, King Farouk, Norweb, Worrell and many more. Are you next? If you win it, we think you will become possessed by its charm, even with the hairlines--and will want to keep it for many years as the treasure it has proven to be. View details	Realized $86,250