Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature US Coin Sale 1258 2-6 Aug 2017
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Early Quarter Eagles
1797 $2 1/2 BD-1, R.6 -- Mount Removed -- NGC Details. XF. Bass-Dannreuther Die State b/a. The rarity of 1797 quarter eagles is such that virtually all imperfections and impairments are secondary to the mere existence of the coin itself. The exact number of pieces struck is open to debate, since Mint records at the time were less than precise. Today's research suggests that only 427 coins were dated 1797 (delivered late in the year), with earlier deliveries in the year being 1796 With Stars coins. In any case, the 1797 is among the rarest of all quarter eagles and an incalculably important addition to any early gold collection. Indeed, the entire Draped Bust quarter eagle type is rare in comparison to the other denominations, and the 1797 is near the pinnacle of rarity within the type. Perhaps only two dozen specimens survive in all conditions.
The present coin had a mount removed and undoubtedly was cleaned at some point in its long history. The surfaces are finely granular but retain pleasing greenish gold color with XF definition. Evidence of the mount removal is slight and confined to the edges. All known 1797 examples display a prominent die crack from the Y of LIBERTY downward, grazing star 8 and through star 12 before terminating at the rim below star 13. The reverse is perfect, also employed to strike a variety of the 1798/7 dime in a later state of the die.
HID02901242017
1797 $2 1/2 BD-1, R.6 -- Mount Removed -- NGC Details. XF. Bass-Dannreuther Die State b/a. The rarity of 1797 quarter eagles is such that virtually all imperfections and impairments are secondary to the mere existence of the coin itself. The exact number of pieces struck is open to debate, since Mint records at the time were less than precise. Today's research suggests that only 427 coins were dated 1797 (delivered late in the year), with earlier deliveries in the year being 1796 With Stars coins. In any case, the 1797 is among the rarest of all quarter eagles and an incalculably important addition to any early gold collection. Indeed, the entire Draped Bust quarter eagle type is rare in comparison to the other denominations, and the 1797 is near the pinnacle of rarity within the type. Perhaps only two dozen specimens survive in all conditions.
The present coin had a mount removed and undoubtedly was cleaned at some point in its long history. The surfaces are finely granular but retain pleasing greenish gold color with XF definition. Evidence of the mount removal is slight and confined to the edges. All known 1797 examples display a prominent die crack from the Y of LIBERTY downward, grazing star 8 and through star 12 before terminating at the rim below star 13. The reverse is perfect, also employed to strike a variety of the 1798/7 dime in a later state of the die.
HID02901242017