Lot 1349
1821 Capped Bust Quarter Dollar. . Browning-4. NGC graded MS-66 Prooflike. Encased in NGC holder 1551405-001. And a wonderful white coin with a hint of light gold toning. Nice prooflike surfaces. An exceptionally fresh, gleaming gem example whose full mirror luster in the fields is surmounted by lightly frosted devices. Extremely sharply struck, including at center of the obverse and reverse, with all details intricately defined: cap, hair curls, drapery folds, and clasp, while the eagle shows a clear shield and intricate feather detail. On the obverse, only a few stars lack full definition, and there is a frosty area in the otherwise prooflike field just below the bottom of the bust; while the reverse has not one iota of weakness anywhere to be found, an incredible achievement. Both obverse and reverse fields are very lightly toned, as mentioned. This gem Mint State 66 specimen possesses exceptional aesthetic appeal and is truly an item for the good judge of early bust quarter dollars. The Browning-4 die variety is among the common varieties of the year; however, very few examples are known in Mint State preservation. Gem quality examples such as this are extremely rare. In fact, this example is almost certainly the finest known for the variety because of its prooflike surfaces.
Designs for the 1815-28 series of quarter dollars were by John Reich, who redesigned all of the circulating coinage after he was hired in 1807. The quarters and half dimes were the final denominations released, in 1815 and 1829 respectively. Three obverse and five reverse dies were produced for a combination of six different die varieties in 1821. Pop 1; the finest prooflike 1821 graded at either service.
Estimated Value $20,000 - 24,000.
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| Realized $27,600 |
