Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3030 5-6 January 2014
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Russia
Alexander II Proof Polushka (1/4 Kopeck) 1860-BM, Warsaw mint, Bitkin-496 (R3), Brekke-8, KM-Y1.3, PR64 Brown PCGS. An amazing Russian rarity. The strike is bold, with reflective fields beneath chocolate-brown patina. The surfaces exhibit minor spots and a major reverse die-crack beneath the BM mintmark. We hesitate to agree that this is a Proof striking, as so few of these pieces are known, and were produced, that any Mint State examples will probably display prooflike surfaces. Truly, it does not matter for this great rarity, but we suggest the bidder examine this piece closely. This exceedingly rare issue is missing from virtually all major collections, including the Mikhaiklovich Collection. The only, recent, similar issue we can reference is an 1860-EM Polushka, Bitkin 384, also R3, and listed as About Extremely Fine, sold by the Swiss auction firm Sincona on October 9, 2012, lot 1331. The Sincona coin realized 11,000 Swiss Francs, or approximately $11,700. We use this as reference, but we feel the 1860-BM is even rarer than the EM issue.A close study of this amazing piece is quite revealing. It appears to be an overdate, probably from a re-worked 1855 die, as there are definite underdigits beneath the 6 and 0. This could account for the large reverse die-break, if a die from the previous BM Polushka issue (1855) was re-worked with the date 1860, and then began to collapse after very few coins were struck. The die-break could have been caused by using the old die, and the rarity as a result of the die completely failing, with no further coins produced.
Estimate: 15000-20000 USD
Alexander II Proof Polushka (1/4 Kopeck) 1860-BM, Warsaw mint, Bitkin-496 (R3), Brekke-8, KM-Y1.3, PR64 Brown PCGS. An amazing Russian rarity. The strike is bold, with reflective fields beneath chocolate-brown patina. The surfaces exhibit minor spots and a major reverse die-crack beneath the BM mintmark. We hesitate to agree that this is a Proof striking, as so few of these pieces are known, and were produced, that any Mint State examples will probably display prooflike surfaces. Truly, it does not matter for this great rarity, but we suggest the bidder examine this piece closely. This exceedingly rare issue is missing from virtually all major collections, including the Mikhaiklovich Collection. The only, recent, similar issue we can reference is an 1860-EM Polushka, Bitkin 384, also R3, and listed as About Extremely Fine, sold by the Swiss auction firm Sincona on October 9, 2012, lot 1331. The Sincona coin realized 11,000 Swiss Francs, or approximately $11,700. We use this as reference, but we feel the 1860-BM is even rarer than the EM issue.A close study of this amazing piece is quite revealing. It appears to be an overdate, probably from a re-worked 1855 die, as there are definite underdigits beneath the 6 and 0. This could account for the large reverse die-break, if a die from the previous BM Polushka issue (1855) was re-worked with the date 1860, and then began to collapse after very few coins were struck. The die-break could have been caused by using the old die, and the rarity as a result of the die completely failing, with no further coins produced.
Estimate: 15000-20000 USD