Lot 1703
1852-D. PCGS graded MS-62. A nice untoned coin. Significant luster still evident. Only 4,078 struck. Quarter eagles were betwixt and between. Too small for convenient use in the maritime and export trade, and not needed for everyday domestic transactions normally serviced by silver coins or paper obligations convertible into specie, the quarter eagle denomination was made intermittently and only in small quantities, especially in the early years.
A marvelous and highly important specimen of this major rarity, one of the very best known. (See Population Statistics which follow.) Not only is the current piece important for its grade, but in contrast it seems to stand far above the crowd concerning overall quality. Douglas Winter notes: "Most examples have very heavily abraded surfaces…there are usually conspicuous marks in the field." Again, the coin on offer is a treasure for the connoisseur and specialist, well struck at the centers and glistening.
Die Note: Date high. On the reverse the D mintmark is high. About half of the interior is covered by a diagonal section of the arrow feather. On the reverse only, some of the denticles lack detail, this probably a result of insufficient metal flow into that area of the die, a common happenstance with Dahlonega gold coins. Pop 4; 3 finer, 2 in 63, 1 in 64 (PCGS # 7765) .
Estimated Value $15,000 - 16,000.
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| Realized $25,850 |
