Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 81

The Pre-Long Beach Sale

Seated Liberty Quarter Dollars

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 800		1838. PCGS graded MS-64. Lightly toned. This series had one of the shortest runs in the entire Seated Liberty Quarter series of 1838-1891. Examples without extra folds of drapery at Liberty's elbow were delivered solely in 1838 and 1839 at the Philadelphia Mint, and with a single 1840-dated delivery from the New Orleans facility. The No Drapery design differs from the following With Drapery design, most visibly in the proportions of Liberty's figure and the size of the rock upon which she sits. The first-year 1838 has a reported mintage of 466,000 pieces. While not a particularly elusive coin in most circulated grades, the 1838 is an underrated rarity at the finer levels of Mint State preservation. The coin in this lot is one of the most attractively toned examples certified at PCGS in our opinion, and it is also certainly a strong contender for any high-grade Type collector's portfolio. The 1838 No Drapery obverse is not known for sharp striking detail, the highpoints of Liberty's head, her toes, and the star centrils are weakly defined, though we must add that the denticles are very well formed for the most part on both sides. The reverse eagle, however, is crisply struck. Both sides are equally free of marks and grade-limiting defects, while the appearance is softly lustrous with a now and then a bit of sheen to the surfaces. The eye appeal is far and away more impressive than most recent offerings of an 1838 Seated Quarter of this type. One of the more significant silver coins in this denomination, and a bidding opportunity for the specialist that is probably not soon to be replicated. Pop 24; 9 finer, 2 in 64+, 3 in 65, 3 in 66, 1 in 68. (PCGS # 5391) . Estimated Value $8,000 - 8,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 801		1840-O. Drapery. PCGS graded AU Details, Cleaning. Boldly struck with light blue and golden toning. Only 43,000 struck (PCGS # 5398) . Estimated Value $100 - 125. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $617
Lot 802		1842-O. Small date. PCGS graded Fine-15. Even toning. Very rare date (PCGS # 5403) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,300. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,880
Lot 803		1854. Arrows. PCGS graded MS-62. Nice even obverse toning. Two-year Type, after the Rays were omitted from the reverse dies (due to the dies suffering swift deterioration with them), the mint continued to recall the "old tenor" (heavier weight) pre-Arrows coins from circulation and recoin them into to the new standard. A popular Type in Mint condition. Sharp devices throughout (PCGS # 5432) . Estimated Value $600 - 650. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $823
Lot 804		1857. NGC graded MS-61. A fully white coin; lustrous and well struck at the eagle. Estimated Value $325 - 350. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $447
Lot 805		1860. PCGS graded Proof 65. A fully white proof. Only 1,000 struck. A fresh and original coin radiant with icicle-white afterglow from the fields to the devices. Our observation of the luster is that it surpasses most other Proofs of this year which, in some instances, lacks mirror depth compared to the later-1860s Proofs. Pertaining to the devices, this coin was struck with methodical precision throughout Liberty and the eagle, the shield, the date and legends. There is only minor diminishment in the topmost stars nearest Liberty's head. Seen sideways, flipped top to bottom, seen up close and at arms length, this is a most wonderfully good-looking Proof Seated Quarter; but if Liberty had a fault it would be a tendency to be a bit mysterious with her Mona Lisa-like facial air. She seems almost to be smiling. (As will be the successful bidder when this coin crosses the auction block.) Pop 18; 7 finer, 1 in 65+, 6 in 66. (PCGS # 5556) . Estimated Value $4,200 - 4,400. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 806		1860-S. NGC graded Good Details, Environmental Damage. Very rare date. Only 56,000 struck. Estimated Value $550 - 600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $823
Lot 807		1875-S. NGC graded MS-63. CAC Approved. Frosty and untoned. This is a noteworthy example whose silver surfaces display pinpoint striking definition throughout except for a few stars, and the fields are largely free of distracting contact marks. Pop 12; 27 finer, 17 in 64, 9 in 65, 1 in 66. Estimated Value $850 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 808		1876. NGC graded Proof 66 Star Cameo. Wonderful deep blue to purple toning on both sides. Only 1,150 struck. The color is so vivid that its iridescence spreads across both sides and can be spotted even by a casual observer from across the room! Boldly struck for the date, certainly much finer than the business strikes this year, and worthy of strong bidder consideration. Pop 1; 8 finer, 6 in 67, 2 in 67 Star. Estimated Value $3,500 - 4,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $6,463
Lot 809		1878. NGC graded Proof 63 PQ. CAC Approved. Housed in an Old Style Holder. Only 800 minted. Razor-sharp devices; smooth mirrors. Pop 42; 90 finer. Lovely toning on both sides (PCGS # 5579) . Estimated Value $800 - 850. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,116
Lot 810		1881. PCGS graded Proof 61. A white coin. Housed in a PCGS First Generation Holder. Only 975 Struck (PCGS # 5582) . Estimated Value $400 - 425. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $529
Lot 811		1885. NGC graded Proof 67 Ultra Cameo. Fully white ultra Cameo Gem Proof. Only 930 struck. Sleek and white in color as this gorgeous coin is, the luster seems to seesaws with an occasional hint of iridescence along with the deep reflectivity from the surface. In former days, the luster was enough to determine a coin's status. But today, just as important is the strike: there is no deviation in the sharp design detail seen, not even in the two intricately detailed shields of this remarkable coin. There had been an enormous expansion of silver coinage in the mid-1870s. Then, toward the latter part of 1877 vast numbers of previously exported silver coins from the Civil War years (1861-65) began flooding in to the United States from abroad. These came principally from Central America and Canada. Tens of millions of coins (worth perhaps as much as $30 million in the estimate of Robert W. Julian) returned like a whirlwind out of the past. This vast "inpouring" continued well into 1880, much to the amazement of the US Treasury (who had to store the excess in its vaults) and to the Mint staff. According to Julian, silver miners and their political partners were not only amazed by the unexpected inflow, but were enraged, because the mints were no longer buying silver for minor coinage. There was little demand for new coinage now that there was an abundance of the old, and the channels of trade were clogged with it. Because there was no inflation in prices paid for goods and services with the added coinage. In response to this inpouring, the Treasury ordered the suspension of minor silver coinage in early 1878 and did not resume it for some years because of the accumulation in the Treasury. It is Julian�s contention that contrary to popular belief, the coinage of Morgan dollars had nothing to do with the interdiction of subsidiary silver mintage in the years 1879-90. As in other such situations, the Mint is supposed to have struck nominal numbers of business strikes each year, along with the Proofs sold to collectors, in order to make them less rare, thereby discouraging speculators from buying up the current-date coins. Pop 2; 1 finer in 68. Estimated Value $7,000 - 7,500. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 812		1885. PCGS graded Proof 66. Lovely shades of gold and blue toning. Only 930 minted. Dazzling in its toning cornucopia of colors, fully lustrous with a near-perfect strike. The strike as keen as a razor on this handsome 1885 Seated Liberty Quarter. No doubt it acquired such wonderful color from the years spent in the original tissue paper supplied by the Mint when packaging Proof Sets to early coin collectors. Pop 19; 2 finer, 1 in 67, 1 in 67+ (PCGS # 5586) . Estimated Value $1,900 - 2,000. Ex: Teich Family Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,468
Lot 813		1885. NGC graded Proof 65. Fully untoned. Only 930 struck. A brilliant and exceptionally lustrous Proof 65 example of this better, low-mintage date from the elusive 1880s, a coin that has outstanding fields and devices A sharp impression was left by the recoil of the dies that struck this attractive 1885 Seated Liberty Quarter. Pop 37; 35 finer, 21 in 66, 14 in 67. Historic Note: All Proofs sold to collectors in this period, including the present 1885 Proof 65 specimen, were made at the Philadelphia Mint. On July 23,1885, news of the death of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, at Mount McGregor, N.Y., was received at Philadelphia at 8:12 A.M. The State House bell was tolled sixty-three times, one stroke for each year of the ex President�s his age. Immediately flags were hoisted at half mast in all parts of the city. The Mayor's office was draped with mourning, and emblems of woe were displayed at public and private offices, stores, factories, dwellings and other buildings. Estimated Value $1,600 - 1,700. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold