Lot 1763
1915-S Panama-Pacific Gold $50 Octagonal. NGC graded MS-65. Only 645 pieces struck. A hint of light gold tone. Frosty. Velvety to satin-like fields almost stagger under the weight of its highly lustrous golden elegance and color. At best, it is not easy to find such luster on one of these mighty gold pieces, the largest ever minted up to that time by the United States of America. So too crisp definition on the main devices counts for a lot. Mathematically exact standards are seen everywhere in the artistic design.
The choice of both round and octagonal formats for this commemorative, which (as usual with public opinion) also came in for criticism at the time, consciously reflected the use of both Humbert octagonal $50 coins and Wass-Molitor round fifties as a major part of California's circulating medium in the 1850s. Pop 40; 10 finer, 6 in 66, 4 in 67 (PCGS # 7452) .
Estimated Value $100,000 - 110,000.
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| Realized $115,000 |
