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ANA Signature US Coin Sale 1258 2-6 Aug 2017
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Proof Liberty Quarter Eagles
1843 $2 1/2 PR65 Deep Cameo PCGS. CAC. No official record of the number of gold proof coins issued in 1843 has ever come to light, but no more than five or six examples of the 1843 proof quarter eagle survive today. The coins were apparently issued in proof sets, including the three gold denominations, and several of those sets were preserved intact in their original holders until recent times. We have been able to trace five examples of the 1843 proof quarter eagle in our roster below, and five specimens of the proof half eagle and eagle have been reliably reported, suggesting at least that many complete gold proof sets were struck in 1843. PCGS and NGC have combined to certify six quarter eagles in proof format, probably including a few resubmissions and crossovers. One coin is located in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.
The present coin is the finest specimen seen by PCGS. It seems to be the mysterious specimen that first appeared in 2002, at an estate sale in Connecticut. The coin realized $66,150 at that offering, a remarkable result for a non-numismatic estate sale in those days. It passed to the present consignor in 2004, via John Albanese and Al Pinkall.
This coin is a delightful Gem proof, with razor-sharp definition on the obverse design elements. The reverse is sharply detailed in most areas, but the eagle's left (facing) leg shows a touch of the softness seen on all known proof examples (1843 business-strikes are often seen with weakness in this area, as well). Unlike regular-issue specimens, the 1 in the date actually touches the dentils. Walter Breen noted the date punches on the proof die are larger than in previous years, possibly from the punch set used on the dimes and quarters. The devices are richly frosted, creating intense cameo contrast with the deeply reflective fields. The well-preserved yellow-gold surfaces show a few minor hair lines on close inspection, but none are distracting. Like other proofs of this date, a number of tiny lint marks are present on this coin, one vertically below star 3, near the edge, and another curling into the field from the bridge of Liberty's nose. On the reverse, a vertical lint mark appears near the right (facing) side of the eagle's neck and another tiny one extends from the dentils above the C in AMERICA. A small spine and some finer die lines extend from the dentils near star 2 and a thin die line shows on Liberty's neck from the hair curl, just below the jaw (similar features appear on the PR63 Cameo NGC specimen in the January 2015 Long Beach Signature, number 2 in the roster below, suggesting these artifacts may be diagnostic). Small, almost imperceptible, planchet flaws are evident between stars 5 and 6, and another shows above the first A in AMERICA. Overall eye appeal is simply terrific. This coin is the single-finest example certified by PCGS and it may be many years before a comparable specimen becomes available. Series specialists and Registry Set enthusiasts should bid accordingly. Population: 1 in 65 Deep Cameo, 0 finer. CAC: 1 in 65, 0 finer (6/17).
Roster of 1843 Proof Quarter Eagles
Grades are per the last auction appearance, unless a subsequent certification event is known. It is virtually certain that some coins have been submitted, or resubmitted, to the grading services since their last public offering. Grade of the Smithsonian specimen is per Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth.
1. PR65 Deep Cameo PCGS. Possibly the example that surfaced in a Connecticut estate sale in 2002 and sold for $66,125; this coin was certified by PCGS on 1/16/2002 (thanks to Ron Guth for this information); John Albanese; purchased by the present consignor in 2004, via Al Pinkall; the present coin.
2. PR63 Cameo NGC. Possibly Jerome Kern; Golden Jubilee Sale (B. Max Mehl, 5/1950), lot 32; Mid-Western coin dealer; Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 1/2015), lot 3245, realized $70,500.
3. PR63 Cameo PCGS. William Woodin; Woodin Collection (Thomas Elder, 3/1911), lot 966; Virgil Brand, journal number 57049; possibly John Zug; purchased by F.C.C. Boyd in 1939; World's Greatest Collection (Numismatic Gallery, 1/1946), lot 110; J.F. Bell (Jacob Shapiro); Memorable Collection (Numismatic Gallery, 3/1948), lot 103; John Jay Pittman; Pittman Collection, Part I (David Akers, 10/1997), lot 832, as part of a complete copper, silver, and gold proof set; the three gold coins were reportedly sold by Blanchard & Company in May of 2009 for $937,765. Note: William Woodin owned a three-piece 1843 gold proof set in 1911, but he split the set, selling the quarter eagle and eagle in his 1911 sale, but retaining the half eagle until later, and exhibiting it at the 1914 ANS Exhibition. Woodin sold most of his half eagles to Waldo Newcomer circa 1924, but the inventory of Newcomer's collection did not include an 1843 proof quarter eagle, so he could not have owned a complete gold proof set of that date. Someone, possibly John Zug, must have reassembled the set before 1946, as F.C.C. Boyd had all three coins in his collection by that date. John Jay Pittman purchased the three gold coins at the sale of the Memorable Collection, and united them with the silver and copper proofs of that date, which he purchased a few months later, to form a complete 1843 proof set in an original case.
4. Brilliant Proof. A coin in the complete copper, silver, and gold proof set in the original case reportedly presented by President Tyler in 1843 to an unnamed constituent; purchased by Richard B. Winsor for $100 circa 1880; Winsor Collection (S.H. & H. Chapman, 12/1895), lot 1067; Fernand David Collection (Jacques Schulman, 3/1930), lot 112; purchased by an agent of B. Max Mehl at the Schulman sale in Amsterdam; Frank Stoddard; "Colonel" E.H.R. Green in 1932, via Mehl; Green Estate; B.G. Johnson; sold to B. Max Mehl on 8/30/1944 for $1,000; Will W. Neil; Neil Collection (Mehl, 6/1947), lot 2292; Amon Carter, Sr.; Amon Carter, Jr.; Carter Family Collection (Stack's, 1/1984), lot 630; Daniel Drykerman (per Walter Breen); the set was later stolen and has not reappeared. Note: Walter Breen incorrectly identified this set as the one in a "New York State private collection," meaning John Jay Pittman, but Pittman never owned this set.
5. PR65 Cameo. Mint Cabinet; National Numismatic Collection, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Appearance
A. Gem Proof. 39th Mail Bid Sale (Hollinbeck-Kagin, 11/1946), lot 2245; an 1843 proof eagle and half eagle were also offered in separate lots (thanks to P. Scott Rubin for this information).
HID02901242017
1843 $2 1/2 PR65 Deep Cameo PCGS. CAC. No official record of the number of gold proof coins issued in 1843 has ever come to light, but no more than five or six examples of the 1843 proof quarter eagle survive today. The coins were apparently issued in proof sets, including the three gold denominations, and several of those sets were preserved intact in their original holders until recent times. We have been able to trace five examples of the 1843 proof quarter eagle in our roster below, and five specimens of the proof half eagle and eagle have been reliably reported, suggesting at least that many complete gold proof sets were struck in 1843. PCGS and NGC have combined to certify six quarter eagles in proof format, probably including a few resubmissions and crossovers. One coin is located in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.
The present coin is the finest specimen seen by PCGS. It seems to be the mysterious specimen that first appeared in 2002, at an estate sale in Connecticut. The coin realized $66,150 at that offering, a remarkable result for a non-numismatic estate sale in those days. It passed to the present consignor in 2004, via John Albanese and Al Pinkall.
This coin is a delightful Gem proof, with razor-sharp definition on the obverse design elements. The reverse is sharply detailed in most areas, but the eagle's left (facing) leg shows a touch of the softness seen on all known proof examples (1843 business-strikes are often seen with weakness in this area, as well). Unlike regular-issue specimens, the 1 in the date actually touches the dentils. Walter Breen noted the date punches on the proof die are larger than in previous years, possibly from the punch set used on the dimes and quarters. The devices are richly frosted, creating intense cameo contrast with the deeply reflective fields. The well-preserved yellow-gold surfaces show a few minor hair lines on close inspection, but none are distracting. Like other proofs of this date, a number of tiny lint marks are present on this coin, one vertically below star 3, near the edge, and another curling into the field from the bridge of Liberty's nose. On the reverse, a vertical lint mark appears near the right (facing) side of the eagle's neck and another tiny one extends from the dentils above the C in AMERICA. A small spine and some finer die lines extend from the dentils near star 2 and a thin die line shows on Liberty's neck from the hair curl, just below the jaw (similar features appear on the PR63 Cameo NGC specimen in the January 2015 Long Beach Signature, number 2 in the roster below, suggesting these artifacts may be diagnostic). Small, almost imperceptible, planchet flaws are evident between stars 5 and 6, and another shows above the first A in AMERICA. Overall eye appeal is simply terrific. This coin is the single-finest example certified by PCGS and it may be many years before a comparable specimen becomes available. Series specialists and Registry Set enthusiasts should bid accordingly. Population: 1 in 65 Deep Cameo, 0 finer. CAC: 1 in 65, 0 finer (6/17).
Roster of 1843 Proof Quarter Eagles
Grades are per the last auction appearance, unless a subsequent certification event is known. It is virtually certain that some coins have been submitted, or resubmitted, to the grading services since their last public offering. Grade of the Smithsonian specimen is per Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth.
1. PR65 Deep Cameo PCGS. Possibly the example that surfaced in a Connecticut estate sale in 2002 and sold for $66,125; this coin was certified by PCGS on 1/16/2002 (thanks to Ron Guth for this information); John Albanese; purchased by the present consignor in 2004, via Al Pinkall; the present coin.
2. PR63 Cameo NGC. Possibly Jerome Kern; Golden Jubilee Sale (B. Max Mehl, 5/1950), lot 32; Mid-Western coin dealer; Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 1/2015), lot 3245, realized $70,500.
3. PR63 Cameo PCGS. William Woodin; Woodin Collection (Thomas Elder, 3/1911), lot 966; Virgil Brand, journal number 57049; possibly John Zug; purchased by F.C.C. Boyd in 1939; World's Greatest Collection (Numismatic Gallery, 1/1946), lot 110; J.F. Bell (Jacob Shapiro); Memorable Collection (Numismatic Gallery, 3/1948), lot 103; John Jay Pittman; Pittman Collection, Part I (David Akers, 10/1997), lot 832, as part of a complete copper, silver, and gold proof set; the three gold coins were reportedly sold by Blanchard & Company in May of 2009 for $937,765. Note: William Woodin owned a three-piece 1843 gold proof set in 1911, but he split the set, selling the quarter eagle and eagle in his 1911 sale, but retaining the half eagle until later, and exhibiting it at the 1914 ANS Exhibition. Woodin sold most of his half eagles to Waldo Newcomer circa 1924, but the inventory of Newcomer's collection did not include an 1843 proof quarter eagle, so he could not have owned a complete gold proof set of that date. Someone, possibly John Zug, must have reassembled the set before 1946, as F.C.C. Boyd had all three coins in his collection by that date. John Jay Pittman purchased the three gold coins at the sale of the Memorable Collection, and united them with the silver and copper proofs of that date, which he purchased a few months later, to form a complete 1843 proof set in an original case.
4. Brilliant Proof. A coin in the complete copper, silver, and gold proof set in the original case reportedly presented by President Tyler in 1843 to an unnamed constituent; purchased by Richard B. Winsor for $100 circa 1880; Winsor Collection (S.H. & H. Chapman, 12/1895), lot 1067; Fernand David Collection (Jacques Schulman, 3/1930), lot 112; purchased by an agent of B. Max Mehl at the Schulman sale in Amsterdam; Frank Stoddard; "Colonel" E.H.R. Green in 1932, via Mehl; Green Estate; B.G. Johnson; sold to B. Max Mehl on 8/30/1944 for $1,000; Will W. Neil; Neil Collection (Mehl, 6/1947), lot 2292; Amon Carter, Sr.; Amon Carter, Jr.; Carter Family Collection (Stack's, 1/1984), lot 630; Daniel Drykerman (per Walter Breen); the set was later stolen and has not reappeared. Note: Walter Breen incorrectly identified this set as the one in a "New York State private collection," meaning John Jay Pittman, but Pittman never owned this set.
5. PR65 Cameo. Mint Cabinet; National Numismatic Collection, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Appearance
A. Gem Proof. 39th Mail Bid Sale (Hollinbeck-Kagin, 11/1946), lot 2245; an 1843 proof eagle and half eagle were also offered in separate lots (thanks to P. Scott Rubin for this information).
HID02901242017