Lot 671
1844-D $2.50 Liberty. NGC graded MS-61. One of the top couple of dozen known of this scarce date, with none graded higher than mint state 63. Examination finds minor hairlines, but no other problems or significant contact marks to account for the rather average grade. 17,332 were struck, most of which circulated into lower grades, were lost or remelted into new coinage.
A truly special feature of this coin is the very sharp strike, every detail is full and complete on both the obverse and reverse. As noted specialist Doug Winter stated, only about 15% to 20% of all pieces are sharply struck, when combined with a coin still in mint state, then you have something special indeed. Furthermore, the obverse die shows clash marks from the eagle's wings extending from either side of Liberty's neck, and even sharper clash marks on the reverse from the head of Liberty. At the junction of the right wing of the eagle and his neck, the clash marks are extremely sharp, the sharpest we have seen on any quarter eagle. In the July 2000 NGC Population Report we note 4 graded in this grade, with 7 graded higher.
From the description in the H. W. Bass II sale, lot 367, this coin is possibly the same, or its identical mate (strike, grade and appearance) but we couldn't be certain from the photograph in that sale. Whatever the source, this coin stands alone as one of the most desirable, well struck coins of this date we have cataloged.
Estimated Value $5,000 - 7,000.
This is likely the H. W. Bass Jr. II coin, lot 367, as the strike and grade are the same.
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| Realized $7,188 |
