Heritage World Coin Auctions
Long Beach Signature US Coin Sale 1252 16-17 Feb 2017
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Early Quarter Eagles
1808 $2 1/2 BD-1, R.4 -- Repaired -- PCGS Genuine. AU Details. Bass-Dannreuther Die State b, as usual, cracked through the right-hand stars. The 1808 is likely the most famous early quarter eagle issue. There is only one die variety, and this issue is the only one of the Large Bust Left design type, as no further quarter eagle coinage was accomplished until 1821, after another design change.
John Dannreuther suggests that the recorded mintage of 2,710 pieces was likely all actually struck with this one die pair, unlike in previous years when outdated dies were often carried over into the next year's coinage. However, only 125 to 150 pieces are believed extant in all grades. These are more or less evenly distributed throughout the VF to AU grade ranges, with a few surviving in Mint State. The present coin is evenly struck and well-detailed, showing weakness only on some peripheral stars and dentils. Short pinscratches in the obverse fields, along with faint evidence of tooling and enthusiastically polished, brightly reflective surfaces prevent a numeric grade.
1808 $2 1/2 BD-1, R.4 -- Repaired -- PCGS Genuine. AU Details. Bass-Dannreuther Die State b, as usual, cracked through the right-hand stars. The 1808 is likely the most famous early quarter eagle issue. There is only one die variety, and this issue is the only one of the Large Bust Left design type, as no further quarter eagle coinage was accomplished until 1821, after another design change.
John Dannreuther suggests that the recorded mintage of 2,710 pieces was likely all actually struck with this one die pair, unlike in previous years when outdated dies were often carried over into the next year's coinage. However, only 125 to 150 pieces are believed extant in all grades. These are more or less evenly distributed throughout the VF to AU grade ranges, with a few surviving in Mint State. The present coin is evenly struck and well-detailed, showing weakness only on some peripheral stars and dentils. Short pinscratches in the obverse fields, along with faint evidence of tooling and enthusiastically polished, brightly reflective surfaces prevent a numeric grade.