Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 80

June Pre Long Beach Sale

Seated Liberty Dimes

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 330		1837 Seated. NGC graded Proof 63. Only 30 minted. Boldly struck with even toning. Pop 7; 18 finer, 14 in 64, 2 in 65, 1 in 66, 1 in 67. Estimated Value $8,500 - 9,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,400
Lot 331		1837. Small Date. NGC graded MS-66. Well struck and untoned. Pop 2; 2 finer in 67. Estimated Value $10,000 - 11,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $12,338
Lot 332		1839. No drapery. PCGS graded MS-66. CAC Approved. Well struck and nice toning. Unstoppable luster erupts stealthily beneath the lovely toned highlights, while gusts of color form an aura from the edge to the center of the design elements on both sides of this satiny, near pristine gem. The strike is strong as on most 1839 No Drapery Seated Dimes with outstanding stars, shield, and wreath definition. A much beloved, delicately proportioned and elegant three-year Type. (Late in 1840, Mint Director Robert Maskell Patterson ordered that the dimes and half dimes follow the silver dollars in adopting the new Robert Ball Hughes modified effigy. Like its smaller and larger counterparts, this new portrait has fatter arms, larger head, no de collete, flatter contours concealed by bulkier drapery for "respectability," smaller rock, shield upright with enlarged scroll, and what the Breen encyclopedia scorns as the "useless cloak or himation over her elbow, making her pose extremely uncomfortable.") Pop 10; 9 finer, 7 in 67, 2 in 68. (PCGS # 4571) . Estimated Value $4,500 - 4,700. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 333		1840. No Drapery. PCGS graded MS-65. Lovely golden toning with original dusky patina spread throughout the sleek surface. Satin surfaces that are almost frosted with pleasant, underlying perfection. Another scarce early Dime from this consignment, this too, displays a precision strike on the stars, legends and main device, which is always appreciated for the date, the last use of the No Drapery Liberty devices. The only trace of soft detail at the rim dentils. Pop 5; 11 finer, 2 in 65+, 7 in 66, 2 in 67 (PCGS # 4573) . Estimated Value $3,300 - 3,400. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,643
Lot 334		1853. Arrows. PCGS graded MS-66. Well struck and fully white. This is a coin with the stopping power of a freigh train, a blast-white MS66 that no top-quality Type set should be without. The technical quality is nothing short of Superb with only the lightest ticks widely scattered over generally smooth-looking features keeping it from MS67 quality. The overall appearance is uncommonly pristine for the Type, and fully intact mint luster is also worthy of praise. More-or-less silvery white iridescence yields to heavier frost in select areas around the designs. Sharply struck throughout with eye appeal to spare. The 1853 Arrows dime as a three-year type in the Seated series of 1837-1891. Obverse arrow were added to the design that year to denote a weight reduction for this denomination per the Coinage Act of 1853. (In addition to the arrows, rays were added to quarter dollars and half dollars, marking the weight change for them as well.) Survivors of the 1853-P delivery are easily obtainable in most grades, although we stress that high-quality Mint State examples are scarce-to-rare in the market. Clearly, the present lot deserves careful consideration among advanced type collectors. Pop 34; 20 finer, 1 in 66+, 15 in 67, 3 in 68, 1 in 68+ (PCGS # 4603) . Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,878
Lot 335		1855 Arrows. NGC graded Proof 65. Only 25 minted. Lovely blue toning on both sides. An important Type that is seldom found in Gem Proof grades, and especially rare this spectacular. Toned to a fair-thee-well with rich iridescent blue on the obverse and reverse including a few lavender to add even more substance. Superbly struck and preserved, with traces of hairlines (scarcely noticeable) and no handling marks. Estimates range up to 25 Proofs being struck, and NGC has graded 5 this high, with none higher, therefore tied at the high end and strictly near or at the very top of the Condition Census for Proof 1855 With Arrows. A date which is seldom offered at auction, and worth a premium for its radiant, colorful toning. Pop 5; none finer at NGC . After three years running from 1853 to 1855, in 1856, Mint Director Eckert's replacement, James Ross Snowden, directed the arrows be removed from the coinage, as very little of the old-tenor pieces which had been withdrawn and melted to strike these With Arrows pieces, remained in circulation. Seated Liberty dimes continued to be struck at the Philadelphia and New Orleans Mints as well as at the newly built San Francisco Mint until 1892, when the design type was replaced by Charles E. Barber�s Liberty Head. Estimated Value $19,000 - 20,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $14,688
Lot 336		1857. PCGS graded Proof 65. Only 70 minted. Vivid blue toning on the obverse. An astonishing gem of the best possible order whose Proof surfaces play host to robust toning on this handsome coin. We can state further that it is a nicely struck example, one exhibiting fine detail on all the high points including Liberty's hair and gown, the shield and stars, and where even the rim dentils are clear as a bell. The simple wreath-with-legend reverse was used on Stars Obverse Seated Dimes. It too is razor-sharp. Both sides of this coin are appreciably reflective in the fields with original cobalt-blue toning. The lighter toned reverse has some medium dusky lavender in the center ringed with iridescent blue. Pop 4; 5 finer, 4 in 66, 1 in 67 (PCGS # 4746) . Estimated Value $5,500 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,463
Lot 337		1858. NGC graded Proof 65. A hint of gold tone around the obverse rims. Well struck. Only 300 minted. The outer ring of iridescent gold and amber toning, most developed on the obverse, yields to mirror-deep silvery fields, and gorgeous frosted relief. A truly superior example of this extremely desirable early Proof. Worthy of a strong price. The year 1858 is typically given as the time when Proof coins were widely made available to numismatists. It is likely that these were made in sets, consisting of one each of the silver denominations, trime, half dime, dime, quarter, half dollar, and silver dollar, although practice at the time was that pieces could be ordered separately. An early numismatist, R. Alonzo Brock, March 13, 1860, motioned in his writing: "The Mint has raised its Proof sets this year [1860] to $3. Until now they charged merely their actual value of $2.02 [including minor coins], but last year the demand was so great that it kept the time of one person occupied nearly the whole year, attending to getting up the pieces and delivering them, they all being struck on the hand press with special care. So, this year they justify the additional charge on the grounds of the trouble and time used. The Proof sets of back years increase in value rapidly. Those of 1859 are already worth $4.50 to $5 and of previous years $8 to $10, and perhaps even more. Previous to 1859 there were very few struck in each year; not over 200 sets. The set of 1858 possesses a value on this account that there were no silver dollars at all struck of that year, except about 210 to go into the Proof sets, so these dollars will soon be very rare indeed. In fact, they are worth $5 already." Pop 17; 11 finer, 8 in 66, 2 in 67, 1 in 67 Star . Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,300. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,760
Lot 338		1858. PCGS graded Proof 64. CAC Approved. A blast white Proof. Only 100 minted. The brilliant white surface displays light satiny frost on the devices and consistent reflective mirrors over both sides. A well struck and lustrous Gem Stars Obverse Seated Dime that has carefully preserved surfaces. Clear-cut devices point to it having been giving a full, clear blow by the dies. Weakness often occurs at a few locations on most of this issue such as the stars and Liberty's head to name but two. However on this handsome Dime, all areas are bold. Proof Dimes of this style are rare in any numismatic season, and we recommend that a liberal bid be placed to have fair chance to acquire this beauty. Pop 29; 13 finer, 1 in 64+, 9 in 65, 3 in 66 (PCGS # 4747) . Estimated Value $1,800 - 1,900. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,173
Lot 339		1859-O. NGC graded MS-65. Fully white coin. Boldly struck. A sparkling coin bursting with luster, gently toned and otherwise white in appearance. The surfaces are clear of marks though we do see a minor scuff in the field by stars 2 and 3. There is a die break from the rim above Liberty�s head, crossing her top hair to the 8th star, across the tip of the cap, and on to the rim above star 9. Taking stock of another key aspect of the grade, this piece has knife-edged devices throughout, including all stars, centers, and rather than a soft, mushy strike as sometimes seen, a full wreath. Pop 19; 15 finer, 11 in 66, 3 in 67, 1 in 68. Estimated Value $1,900 - 2,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,291
Lot 340		1871-CC. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck with light even grey toning. Only 20,100 struck with a survival estimate of 110 pieces. Somewhat Prooflike surfaces. A rare Mint State example, a very nice one, of the very first Carson City Seated Liberty Dime issue. From the original mintage, from which production we have only a few in collectors� hands today, most disappeared. Perhaps the importance of a specimen of the date in any level of Mint State is underscored by the fact that A Guide Book of United States Coins omits any pricing over the AU level -- and well it should, since the 1871-CC dime is one of the great rarities within the denomination, not just the design type. This holds true for specimens in any grade! Further, the present coin is the sole occupant in NGC's MS62 category, there being only two finer certified by this service. Beyond a doubt, the present piece is one of the most important opportunities in this sale, and we expect that serious Seated Liberty specialists will gather to test each other's bidding mettle when this prized rarity crosses the auction block! Dimes were first struck at the Carson Mint in 1871 and continued to be coined there through 1878. There are only nine dates in the set. The first five dimes in the group are all extreme rarities. The bulk of the "CC" dime population was minted in the three years starting in 1875 and continuing through 1877, with a combined total for those three years of 20,615,000 compared to 1871-CC with its minuscule 20,100 coined! So rare is this piece that in 1987, when the famed Norweb specimen sold for $12,100, collectors were shocked that it had reached such a high level; but in the present second decade of the 21st century, the Norweb specimen would easily bring many multiples of that piece. Pop 1; 2 finer, 1 in 63, 1 in 64. (PCGS # 4654) . Estimated Value $65,000-UP. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $82,250
Lot 341		1872-CC. NGC graded AU-55. Mostly untoned. The legend "Of Amer" is softly struck. Very rare. Only 35,480 minted. One of the most ruggedly challenging dates and possibly the key date to the Seated dime series in higher circulated grades. A fairly substantial number were struck, but all apparently were put into circulation where they wore heavily. It is known that all Carson City dimes from 1871 through 1874 use the same reverse die, and showing widely spaced reeding on the edge. 1872-CC dimes are almost all found with rough surfaces like the other rare date 1874-CC. We are pleased to saw that this is among the finest we have offered in years. The surfaces are smooth. Each side has neutral light silver gray patina. The aforementioned weak OF AMERICA is unusual and noteworthy, study it with a loupe, but post-strike contact is insignificant. Pop 3; none finer at NGC . Estimated Value $16,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $21,738
Lot 342		1873-CC. Arrows. PCGS graded AU-53. Well struck and nicely toned with a uniform grayish-violet on both sides. An important "CC" variety. Only 18,791 struck. Pop 1; 1 finer in 65. (PCGS # 4666) . Estimated Value $37,000 - 40,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 343		1874. Arrows. PCGS graded Proof 66 PQ. CAC Approved. Lovely rainbow toning on both sides. Only 700 minted. A frosted-fresh beauty, glowing with color, level, rolling mirror field with gem surfaces. Judged from an aesthetic standpoint, the coin is also possessed of a much finer strike than is typically found for an 1874 Seated Dime. Because this is a Proof, it was given a second strike by the (specially made) dies, which imparted even the finest detail for all to admire. What a spectacular Gem Proof it is! We might mention that the monetary inflation attendant to the Civil War still had not worked its way through the economy by the time this special coin was struck. In fact, America experienced a sharp business setback in 1873-7, with many who lived through it saying it was far more disruptive than the more famous contraction of 1929. Congress found it had once again to adjust the silver content of our coinage in order to retain the balance between the gold and silver ratio, thus keeping both metals at par (100%). As one can see from Red Book data, mintage of Proofs stayed about level while business strike production increased in 1873-74, thereby effecting the return of small change to circulation during the Reconstruction period. Someone with foresight, insight, and an eye for beauty secured this Proof Dime in a protected environment. It has since come down to us 140 years later, in pristine, beautifully toned condition. Pop 9; 1 finer in 67 (PCGS # 4770) . Estimated Value $7,500 - 8,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $10,869
Lot 344		1874. Arrows. PCGS graded Proof 66. Nice light blue toning. Only 700 minted. This impressive Proof Seated Dime with the two-year Arrows at Date has shimmering reflective fields on both sides, a coin whose lovely toned originality causes the light striking it to move lightly and swiftly over the colorful surface. As is often seen on this type in Proof, the imprint that was left by the dies imparted a sturdy sharpness to Liberty and the wreath, and this coin stands apart from others by its outstanding natural toning. It has a wonderful clear sharp strike. Pop 9; 1 finer in 67 (PCGS # 4770) . 1874 is the year the Black Hills Gold Rush took place in Dakota Territory in the United States. It began following the Custer Expedition and reached its peak in 1876-77. Prospectors found gold in near present-day Custer, South Dakota, but the deposit turned out to be small. The large placer gold deposits of Deadwood Gulch were discovered later, in November 1875, and by 1876, thousands of gold-seekers flocked to the new town of Deadwood, although it was still within Indian land. Estimated Value $6,000 - 6,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $8,813
Lot 345		1879. NGC graded MS-67. A fully white gem. Only 14,000 minted. Pop 25; 16 finer, 10 in 67 Star, 2 in 67+Star, 4 in 68. Estimated Value $2,500 - 2,600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,820
Lot 346		1882. PCGS graded Proof 64. An untoned Proof with the delicate mirror fields showing their original sparkle. A few faint hairlines away from Gem status. Only 1,000 struck. Pop 73; 70 finer at PCGS. (PCGS # 4779) . Estimated Value $650 - 700. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 347		1885. NGC graded Proof 67 Cameo. A hint of gold tone. Only 930 minted. Pop 20; 8 finer, 1 in 67 Star, 3 in 68, 3 in 68 Star, 1 in 69. Estimated Value $2,500 - 2,600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,820
Lot 348		1887. NGC graded MS-68 Star. Lovely blue and gold obverse toning. A frosty gem. An immaculate, blazing Gem, the surfaces bursting with vivid toning and all underpinned by satiny white originality over both sides. In addition the predominant blue and gold, we see lovely shades including purple and magenta. A very appealing specimen whose luster is all original, the toning out of this world. In winding this up, we are pleased to see also a strike faithful to every detail from a full blow by the dies, including Liberty's head (often flat on the 1887-P issue) with marvelously crisp detail found at the rest of Liberty's drapery and shield, as well as throughout the Cereal Wreath reverse. All legends and date clear. Pop 2; none finer at NGC . The Year 1887: In 1887, Arthur Conan Doyle, 28, a physician in Southsea, England, published "A Study in Scarlet," the first of his Sherlock Holmes tales (even though Doyle had written it six years prior). The very next year, 1888, came Pudding tires. What are those, one might ask, and what if anything is the connection? John Dunlop, 48, a Scottish veterinarian living in Belfast, Ireland, invented the pneumatic bicycle tire in order to give his 10-year-old son a smoother ride to school. At first ridiculed as "pudding tires," the inflated wheels soon replaced hard rubber tires in cycle shops all over Europe. There is a connection. In another famous Sherlock Holmes story, "The Adventury of the Priory School" (1901) a "patched Dunlop tire" provides a key to solving the mystery! "I heard him chuckle as the light fell upon a patched Dunlop tire," says Watson. Doyle must have liked to sprinkle his detective mysteries with recent innovations. Estimated Value $7,000 - 7,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,694
Lot 349		1887. PCGS graded Proof 66. Fully white gem. Only 710 minted. The present specimen displays smooth, ice-white surfaces that would settle for nothing less than a full Gem Proof grade. Quite scarce above the 65 level. Fortunately for the strike, it, like the luster, is outstanding and a typically superlative 1887. A well-struck example like this with good details offers no room for bothersome hairlines or discoloration. The coin is, for all intents and purposes, close to perfection. Pop 10; 1 finer in 67 (PCGS # 4784) . Estimated Value $1,300 - 1,400. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,586