Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 5

The Dr. Jon Kardatzke Coin Collection, Parts 2 and 3

$2.50 Gold

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1169		1796 $2.50 Capped Bust. Stars on obverse. Sharpness of Very Fine but extensively repaired and cleaned. One of the rarest coins ever issued by any United States mint, this with stars 1796 quarter eagle boasts a mintage of just 432 pieces. Most disappeared altogether, this one must nearly have been one of those. The surfaces have been repaired on the first three stars, below the date, in both fields and through LIBERTY. Similar on the reverse, with repairs noted below the eagle's tail and around parts of the rim. The lines through TAT of STATES are from the die and are seen on all known specimens of this variety. It does not appear that this coin was holed, but either bent or otherwise defaced in some manner, then further defaced by a non-talented amateur who probably did far more harm than good. As a year, 1796 saw the beginnings of quarter eagle production, the no stars obverses were struck first, then later in the year the with stars were made. All 1796 quarter eagles are rare, and seldom offered. This coin is obviously a filler and close personal inspection is mandatory in order to formulate a bid. View details	Realized $6,038
Lot 1170		1798 $2.50 Capped Bust. Sharpness of VF-20 but poorly repaired. This coin was probably bent and straightened a little too much, as it appears to have been flattened and is now slightly out of round and still bent. Repaired on the left wing of the eagle and around the tail, and around the obverse rim especially above LIBERTY. The fool that repaired this didn't bother to note the extra star added near the L of LIBERTY, hence this is perhaps the only 14 obverse stars quarter eagle made. The surfaces are pitted from an acid bath which is often done to make the fields and devices uniformly textured after extensive buffing and tooling has been done. A disaster, on par with the 1796 with stars just offered. Inspection by prospective bidders is mandatory, as this filler is certainly a rare coin and one that is seldom offered in any grade. View details	Realized $1,668
Lot 1171		1802/1 $2.50 Capped Bust. Sharpness of VF-20 but lightly cleaned. Nicely retoned on both sides, with minor evidence of the past cleaning. There are a couple of minor marks in the right obverse field and some rim ticks. Only 3,035 made in all, very few of which survived. One of the most difficult type coins to find in acceptable grade. View details	Realized $2,990
Lot 1172		1806/4 $2.50 Capped Bust. Sharpness of VF-20 but repaired. To the unaided eye this coin looks like a typical circulated gold coin of the period, but a glass notes that the entire left obverse field has been buffed down, leaving a profusion of circular marks out to between some of the stars and up to Liberty's curls. This appears to be the only area that was repaired, as the balance of the surfaces, including the reverse, show normal to heavy circulation marks. Perhaps some initials were removed from the field. Better than the other fillers just offered, but still a coin that requires careful inspection to properly calculate a bid. View details	Realized $2,185
Lot 1173		1824/1 $2.50 Capped Head. Sharpness of Fine-12 but repaired. This coin was probably mounted on the obverse center, which has been removed and the head of Liberty has been entirely buffed down and partially reingraved. Minor buffing in the surrounding fields. The reverse is much better, normal handling marks and surfaces for a moderate grade coin. Only 2,600 struck, virtually all of which disappeared. A filler for the collector who needs this type coin. View details	Realized $1,438
Lot 1174		1835 $2.50 Classic Head. MS-60. Light hairlines and other field abrasions are noted. The so-called "tall head" variety. Light yellow gold in color and with reflective luster. An impressive example of this early type coin and one that provides a lot of value in today's collector market. Well struck at the periphery, but slightly weak at the centers. One tick mark above the first T of STATES, and this is the common variety with AM well apart on the reverse. From the recent Harry Bass, Jr. Sale by Bowers and Merena, October 1999, lot 282, previously from Lester Merkin's Sale, June 1972, lot 363. View details	Unsold
Lot 1175		1836 $2.50 Classic Head. Script 8. Sharpness of Extremely Fine but initials have been buffed off the reverse. Nice appearing on the obverse, with fully struck stars and curls on Liberty. One minor die crack down through the sixth star to the L of LIBERTY and beyond. On the reverse, there were probably some initials above the eagle's head which someone has buffed out leaving minor swirl marks and disturbed fields in that area. A coin that should be inspected, as the true value should be determined by bidders. View details	Realized $230
Lot 1176		1839 $2.50 Classic Head. VF-35. A nice appearing coin for the grade. The devices are surrounded by a delicate brownish-gold color on both sides. Sharply impressed by the dies, with only light wear on the upper areas. The Guide Book notes that the last digit is not an overdate but was made by a "defective punch", sure looks like an overdate to us though. Whatever the truth, this is a lovely coin for the grade. From Superior's Piedmont Sale, January 29, 1996, lot 2181. View details	Realized $575
Lot 1177		1839-C $2.50 Classic Head. Sharpness of VF-20 but solder on rim and cleaned. The solder on the rim has been carefully removed but telltale signs of metal movement are noted over some of the reverse letters. Possibly repaired in the reverse fields, as there appears to be faint swirl marks under the eagle's wings and in the surrounding areas. Inspection mandatory as the coin still has a nice appearance. Popular for the bold obverse mintmark above the date. View details	Realized $1,150
Lot 1178		1841-C $2.50 Liberty. Sharpness of EF-40 but repaired and cleaned. The very minor repair work is over the eagle where some ink or other dark stain has been partially buffed off, some of the stain can be seen with a glass over the eagle's head and on the rim above the first S of STATES and additional buffing is noted on the second T of STATES. In addition to the repair work, the coin was harshly cleaned leaving a profusion of lines on the obverse, less so on the reverse. A scarce coin in any grade, and this one isn't as bad as we make it sound. View details	Realized $690
Lot 1179		1847-C $2.50 Liberty. Sharpness of VF-20 but harshly cleaned. The surfaces have been harshly cleaned and now look rather pebbly in appearance. There was also a small rim bump that has been filed down near the last star on the obverse, and a mark is noted on Liberty's jaw. Other areas on the obverse rim may have been carefully touched up to remove minor tick marks, but on a coin of this grade it is hard to tell. Sharply struck and a scarce coin in any grade. View details	Realized $391
Lot 1180		1848-C $2.50 Liberty. Sharpness of VF-20 but expertly repaired. The repair work appears to be in the fields where marks or other minor problems were carefully smoothed out. This is virtually undetectable, and most collectors wouldn't notice or care. Lightly toned around the edges. This coin has a curious incuse star (3 points) located on the edge below the right wing of the eagle. View details	Realized $1,093
Lot 1181		1848-D $2.50 Liberty. Sharpness of AU-50 but lightly cleaned. Another scarce date from the Dahlonega Mint. Fully struck on the devices, with ample curls on Liberty and full separation on the eagle, right down to his tiny claws. Curiously, the "D" Mintmark is quite large and completely covers the lower arrow feathers and even touches the branch stem. In the fields, there are minor hairlines from cleaning, and close examination of the rim shows a rim mark above AT of STATES that has been filed down so that it is scarcely noticeable. An excellent coin for the money despite its minor problems. View details	Realized $1,093
Lot 1182		1848-D $2.50 Liberty. Sharpness of AU-50 but cleaned and repaired. Close inspection, and we mean close reveals that this coin was probably mounted at one time. The reeding on the edge shows some darker areas within some of the tiny reeds, and these appear to have been carefully buffed down. The obverse and reverse rim show some strange depressions, all of which have been smoothed down as to be scarcely noticeable. This is a rare and valuable coin in high grade, and the repair work is expertly done and is virtually invisible. Well struck for the date, with full details on Liberty and even complete thigh feathers on the eagle. Well worth inspecting as even the light cleaning fails to make this coin less desirable. One to view carefully before the sale and calculate a reasonable bid. View details	Realized $690
Lot 1183		1850 $2.50 Liberty. VF-35. Typical surfaces for the grade, with a dig on the second star noted. View details	Realized $138
Lot 1184		1850-O $2.50 Liberty. PCGS graded AU-50. Only 84,000 struck in all, few of which could approach this lofty grade. The fields and devices show moderate handling marks, including a dull scrape hidden on the eagle at the junction of the body and left wing. Boldly impressed and very seldom found in full mint state. View details	Unsold
Lot 1185		1852 $2.50 Liberty. EF-40. Light handling marks as usual for the grade, lovely color and well struck for the date. View details	Realized $161
Lot 1186		1854-O $2.50 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. A nice example of this date, the fields have a subtle orange-gold tone, and luster glows up from underneath. Well struck for the date, with only slight weakness on the upper curls of Liberty and on the eagle's thigh and right claw. Only a single coin graded in this category with 4 graded higher by PCGS, that makes this one of the best available of the year. View details	Realized $3,220
Lot 1187		1854-O $2.50 Liberty. PCGS graded EF-40. Typical mid-50's New Orleans strike: soft in the centers but sharp in all the stars. Lovely coin here, an honest EF with luster and old-time deep golden orange toning. Fields cleaner than most--in fact, hardly a bagmark anywhere. Jumbo "O" mintmark. View details	Realized $276
Lot 1188		1855 $2.50 Liberty. EF-40. Lightly cleaned long ago and retoned today with natural coppery colors in the field and lighter gold shades on the devices. View details	Realized $161
Lot 1189		Delightful 1856-D PCGS Graded AU 50. PCGS graded AU-50. A choice example of this rarity. Mintage: 874 pieces only. Today, perhaps 30 survive, this certainly in the top half of those. The recent PCGS Population Report states that only 7 have been so graded, with 8 graded higher. Striking characteristics for the date are that the obverse is always a bit weak on the curls below Liberty's ear, and on the reverse the weakness is evident on the eagle's thigh, wing and neck. As to the surfaces, they are simply splendid on this coin, without problems or cleaning lines. A foremost rarity for the specialist, so few were struck and as a date this is seldom offered. One of the great opportunities to purchase this date that is not likely to be repeated anytime soon. View details	Realized $21,850
Lot 1190		1856-S $2.50 Liberty. ANACS graded AU-50. Tough date, much rarer in this denomination than the much more dramatic looking Twenty. This piece has all the detail of a nice AU but not much sparkle. Deep-gold color. Mintage was only 72,120 coins, way back when. View details	Unsold
Lot 1191		1859-D $2.50 Liberty. Sharpness of EF-40 but repaired in the left obverse field. Apparently some scratches were partially buffed out of the left obverse field, then the coin was polished and finally the inept fool gave up and sold this as is. Only 2,244 were struck in 1859 at Dahlonega and few survive today. Hence, if you need the date and don't mind a filler coin, then bid for this one. Well struck and seldom offered. View details	Realized $1,150
Lot 1192		1860-C $2.50 Liberty. Sharpness of VF-20 but damaged on the reverse. The obverse appears fairly normal for the date and grade, but the reverse has numerous marks as if this coin was lost and spent a day or two reverse side down in gravel on a road. It is a rare date, and should be valued accordingly. View details	Realized $633
Lot 1193		1861 $2.50 Liberty. PCGS graded AU-58. New Reverse. Dull looking at first glance, but its slightly baggy surfaces are fresh, never dipped, and are a tawny gold color. View details	Realized $242
Lot 1194		1865 $2.50 Liberty. Sharpness of VF-20 but lightly smoothed on the obverse. The obverse has been lightly smoothed on Liberty's face and in the adjacent field, probably to lessen circulation marks. This work is visible only with a glass and is not readily apparent. Smooth wear otherwise, and a decidedly rare date that boasts a tiny mintage of 1,520 in all, of which perhaps 15 pieces remain to satisfy date collectors. This rarity would fit harmoniously in a high grade circulated date set. View details	Realized $2,415
Lot 1195		1871-S $2.50 Liberty. VF-30. Natural surfaces for the grade and well struck. Scarce, with just 22,000 made in 1871. Loads of original dirt in the reeding on the edge. View details	Realized $150
Lot 1196		1874 $2.50 Liberty. NGC graded MS-60. Only 3,920 struck for circulation, this one is very frosty on Liberty with a hint of prooflike surface in the fields. The reverse has moderate handling marks from bags, and hairlines. Nevertheless, this mint state example with find a treasured place in a date collectors set. View details	Unsold
Lot 1197		1877-S $2.50 Liberty. AU-58. Semi-prooflike and well struck for this low mintage date (35,400). A glass will note some minor tick marks on both sides, but this is a beautiful coin that boasts nearly new luster and is scarcely seen in grades this high. View details	Realized $173
Lot 1198		1878 (2 pieces) and 1878-S $2.50 Liberty. Extremely Fine to About Uncirculated. The S-mint is AU, while the other two are EF. Total of 3 coins. View details	Realized $443
Lot 1199		1879-S $2.50 Liberty. EF-40. Old-time deep-gold color, nice strike, real clean! View details	Realized $253
Lot 1200		1881 $2.50 Liberty. AU-50. Check the mintage on this date, only 640 were coined for circulation. This one has prooflike fields and was certainly struck by the same dies that were used to strike the few proof examples of 1881. A glass will note some minor scuffs on Liberty's face, but they blend well with the usual circulation marks. Perhaps 40 are known in all grades, this one of the better ones that entered circulation. Many collectors work on date sets of these interesting pieces. Soon they learn that it is very important to buy the rare ones whenever they are offered. You can always buy the common dates, they are common today and will be common tomorrow, but the rare dates are always rare and seldom offered. A worthy coin for the specialist to own. View details	Unsold
Lot 1201		1885 $2.50 Liberty. ANACS graded Proof 60. A classic rare date, slightly impaired by numerous small abrasions, indicating it "hit the streets" during the Depression (most probably) when money was needed in all forms. One long mark on Liberty's face, otherwise just field marks. 87 Proofs coined along with only 800 business strikes (most of which perished long, long ago). According to the Pop Reports, there aren't 150 Quarter Eagles left of this date anywhere. If you want to own a genuinely rare coin, consider chasing this a bit! It was in 1885 that the Washington Monument was opened in the Nation's capitol, at that time the tallest masonry building in the world. Its construction, begun in 1848, was interrupted by the Civil War and then by money and building problems. Native Indians had been rounded up and confined to reservations in Oklahoma, a wasteland in 1885, but even this land would soon be denied to them when oil became a new industry. And one of the Civil War's great heroes, Ulysses S. Grant, a proponent of economic policies that ultimately drove the Indians from the reservations, died this year at the age of 63 of stomach cancer; his funeral in New York City occurred over two days as thousands of ordinary Americans and a host of dignitaries (President Cleveland along with many War heroes, including Generals Sherman and Sheridan) paid their respects and buried him in the famous Tomb, on which was planted a vine from Napoleon's grave. The 19th century was drawing to a close, and mementoes of its artistry, like this golden issue, would soon become classics never to be made again. View details	Realized $2,990
Lot 1202		1890 $2.50 Liberty. MS-61. A choice coin for the grade that boasts original coppery toning and crisply struck devices. One of the low mintage dates, with just 8,720 struck for circulation. Broken out of an NGC holder where this coin was conservatively graded MS 61. View details	Realized $414
Lot 1203		1901 $2.50 Liberty. PCGS graded AU-55. For the grade, just beautiful. Two-tone yellow and orange gold. Bold strike. View details	Realized $161
Lot 1204		1904 $2.50 Liberty. MS-60. Lightly cleaned and retoned to a flashy gold color. Excellent surfaces and very appealing. View details	Unsold
Lot 1205		1906 $2.50 Liberty. MS-63. Fully struck with lovely surfaces and satiny luster, nary a tick on either side, but a couple of tiny marks on the rims and some extremely faint lines. View details	Realized $265
Lot 1206		1908 $2.50 Indian. EF-45. Lightly circulated. View details	Realized $144
Lot 1207		1908 $2.50 Indian. EF-40. Average surfaces. View details	Realized $144
Lot 1208		Withdrawn	Unsold
Lot 1209		1909 $2.50 Indian. VF-20. Honest wear, no damage, natural color. View details	Realized $127
Lot 1210		1910 $2.50 Indian. EF-45. There is a very light and hidden scratch on the lower reverse. View details	Realized $144
Lot 1211		1911 $2.50 Indian. PCGS graded MS-64. A lovely coin for the grade, full mint luster, very few signs of contact on either side, and well preserved. View details	Realized $1,035
Lot 1212		1911 $2.50 Indian. AU-55. Nearly new, with original luster and untoned. View details	Realized $196
Lot 1213		1911 $2.50 Indian. EF-45. Lightly circulated. View details	Realized $150
Lot 1214		1911-D $2.50 Indian. PCGS graded AU-58. The key date to this short and popular series. For once, the D mintmark is plainly visible, making this more desirable than the weak mintmark variety. A glass notes light wear from brief circulation, which makes this an excellent candidate for a mint state set at about half the price of a choice coin. View details	Realized $2,645
Lot 1215		1911-D $2.50 Indian. EF-40 weak "D". Light wear on the upper devices, but nice for the grade. The "D" mintmark is very weak but clearly visible with a glass. The key date of the Indian head quarters, with a scant 55,680 struck. View details	Realized $719
Lot 1216		1912 $2.50 Indian. EF-40. A few scrapes from circulation. View details	Realized $150
Lot 1217		1912, 1913 and 1929 $2.50 Indian. Mint State 60 or better. The first two are typical for the grade, but the 1929 has a pin scratch on the obverse. Lot of 3 coins. View details	Realized $575
Lot 1218		1913 $2.50 Indian. VF-35. There are some light hairline scratches on the reverse from circulation or slight mishandling. View details	Realized $132

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