Lot 2918
1834 Capped Bust Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 67. Lovely blue and gold toning. Housed in PCGS holder number 1742510002. This incredible coin is so distinctive, and so fantastic that is surpasses by two full points the Proof 65 example in the 1834 King of Siam Proof Set, the most talked-about set of Proof coins in American numismatics! Deep blue toning enfolds itself around the swirling mirror fields and crisp devices and is resplendent throughout. Fully original with a near-perfect strike. Something perhaps worth pausing to study is the fact that all central devices were struck with uncharacteristic crispness and in high relief, with desirable consistency of this year, that is, sharply by the dies, which then left behind bold elements of detail throughout. Only the outer ring of stars shows any weakening, and this in the form of "pulling" towards the edge as the metal of the planchet expanded outwards during the "squeeze" of striking.
The seventh and final stylistic change to Reich's venerable capped bust left Half Dollar is seen in the 1834 to 1836 lettered edge pieces. There had been a massive redesign by the mint, with a smaller, sharper face and a downward-tilted bust line. Stars also are smaller. Most of these modifications were aimed at improving the striking quality of the dies. Only a handful of Proofs were issued for special purposes in 1834. None were offered for sale to the public. A wonderful coin. Pop 1; none finer.
From the Breen encyclopedia of Proofs coinage: "Type I: Large date and stars, large letters. At least two die varieties come in proof, according to Stewart Witham. One of these (Overton 103) is in the King of Siam proof set. Cf. also Bolender-Cass-"Empire":1336; Woodin:206 (1911); Davis?Graves: 528; Philadelphia Estate, ex Mehl 12/12/39 (Overton 101); Lichtenfels I:2785. One of these is possibly ex McCoy: 457, Levick.
"As the large date, stars, letters type was the earliest of the year, it is singular that a specimen of it would have been used for the Siam proof set. Possibly no other types had at that time been struck in proof. Those claimed to exist of Type IIia (small date, large stars, small letters, large C in 50 C.) have proved to be restrikes using an apparently original obverse, altered at border to produce the plain raised rim outside the beading as on 1836 Gobrecht coins, combined with a reverse similarly treated, most like 1836 Ov. 106. (However, the Ov. 106 die cracked up and the cracked die coins have normal borders, so it is a different die.) No specimens have been seen of the other types (II: large date and stars, small letters; IIib: as IIia but small c; IV: head of 1835, small date, stars and letters, bust sloping down much more than formerly)."
Estimated Value $100,000 - 115,000.
|
| |
| Unsold |
