Lot 3677
1843-C $2.50 Liberty. Small date, crosslet 4. NGC graded MS-61. Untoned with pleasing reenish gold luster. Above average strike for this key variety and date. Low mintage of 2,988 sturck. Pop 3; 2 in 62. A splendid specimen of one of the most elusive and also most distinctive quarter eagles in the Liberty series. There is a noticeable die bulge at the point of the bust of Miss Liberty, as struck, as always seen, and no doubt this bulge was responsible for the early demise and replacement of this die, seemingly after only 2,988 were struck. So rare is this issue that the Harry Bass sale offered only an AU58 example.
On this variety, the date in small numerals, all in the same size font. The logotype was punched into the die quite high, about three times closer to the neck truncation than to the dentils. The aforementioned bulge is very distinct, and likely was caused during die preparation. Walter Breen writes that the 1843-C Small Date, Crosslet 4 quarter eagles were delivered on April 28, 1843, struck from a pair of dies shipped from Philadelphia on December 23, 1842. The small date numerals are consistent with those used 1840-1842.
Estimated Value $25,000 - 30,000.
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