Feb. 24-25, 2003, The Benson Collection Part 3, Sale 17

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U S Gold Dollars

$1 Liberty Type I

Lot 1870      1849. Open wreath. PCGS graded MS-63. Well struck and quite lustrous.
Estimated Value $1,300-1,500.
 
Lot 1871      1849. Open wreath. AU-50. There are some minor scrapes in the field above Liberty's head, otherwise all is well.
Estimated Value $100-135.
From the Benson collection and purchased from an unknown source.
 
Lot 1872      1849. Closed wreath. PCGS graded MS-63. Fairly well struck and preserved, with nice luster and clean surfaces too.
Estimated Value $1,150-1,250.
 
Lot 1873      1849-O. PCGS graded AU-55. Lightly circulated and well preserved.
Estimated Value $250-300.
From the Benson collection and purchased from an unknown source.
 
Lot 1874      1852. PCGS graded MS-64. A gorgeous example loaded with eye-appeal from mint bloom colors. We note an area of discoloration behind the head of Liberty that appears to be the result of some foreign substance (tar?) that was either on the planchet or on the dies at striking.
Estimated Value $1,200-1,400.
 
Lot 1875      1853. PCGS graded MS-65. A glowing, lustrous gem that boasts a sharp strike and pristine surfaces.
Estimated Value $2,400-2,700.
 
Lot 1876      1853. NGC graded MS-65. Bright and fresh, with excellent surfaces and strike throughout. Scarce in full gem grades.
Estimated Value $2,500-2,700.
 
Lot 1877      1853. PCGS graded MS-63. Bathed in coppery gold tones on the lower half of the obverse, and lustrous throughout.
Estimated Value $750-800.
 
Lot 1878      1853. ANACS graded MS-63. A thin scratch in the left obverse field, another on the reverse near the denomination.
Estimated Value $600-675.
 
Lot 1879      1854 Type I. PCGS graded AU-55. Nice and fresh for the grade.
Estimated Value $170-190.
 
Lot 1880      Hoard of 25 Type I Gold Dollars. VF-25 to AU-50. Lot of 25 coins. A group of undamaged gold dollars ranging in grade from Very Fine to Almost Uncirculated.. Lot of 25 coins.
Estimated Value $3,500-UP.
 

$1 Indian Type II

Lot 1881      1854. PCGS graded AU-55. Fully struck from the dies and none of the usual clash marks are present. Nice surfaces and a coin that circulated for a time before being plucked from the channels of commerce. Always in demand as a tough type coin.
Estimated Value $500-550.
 

Glowing Mint State 1855 Type II Gold Dollar
Lot 1882      1855. PCGS graded MS-64. Nearly a gem and of course very rare in such lofty grades as this. Excellent luster and strike throughout, with no signs of weakness to be found. Importantly, none of the usual clash marks are present, so this one is truly desirable. Color photo.
Estimated Value $12,000-14,000.
 
Lot 1883      1855. PCGS graded MS-62. Bright orange gold luster and with typical surfaces for the grade. Faint hairlines probably account for the grade. The reverse die is clashed as usual, with the outline of Liberty's head plain. One of the more difficult to locate types in the entire gold series.
Estimated Value $4,500-5,500.
 
Lot 1884      1855. PCGS graded AU-58. Just a whisper away from full mint state with plenty of original mint luster still intact. Attractive light olive and golden overtones add to this type two's appeal.
Estimated Value $1,200-1,300.
 
Lot 1885      1856-S. Small head. VF-35. A rare issue in all grades, only 24,600 were struck, and most are in low grades. Minor rim ticks are noted on both sides, and a few faint marks at the center of the reverse. Nicely struck by the dies.
Estimated Value $400-500.
From the Benson collection and purchased from an unknown source.
 

$1 Indian Type III

Lot 1886      1857-C. PCI graded AU-50. As noted in Breen, these are always "unevenly struck on defective planchets", and this one is no exception. There are some minor nicks on the upper reverse rim, and other minor surface problems as well. Mintage peetered out after 13,280 were struck, and most of those were lost or melted. A tough date to find.
Estimated Value $1,200-1,400.
 

Gem Proof 1860 $1 Gold Indian
Lot 1887      1860. PCGS graded Proof 65. A delightful gem proof with full cameo contrast. Sharply struck with vivid golden-orange color over deep mirrored fields. Only 154 proofs were minted with perhaps fewer than 30 survivors in all grades. The PCGS "pop" reports only 7 in this grade with 2 higher. In an old green insert holder.
Estimated Value $9,500-UP.
 
Lot 1888      1862. PCGS graded MS-65. Bright orange gold luster throughout, with excellent surfaces and a top quality coin. Housed in an old green insert PCGS holder and a very pretty little gem coin.
Estimated Value $1,800-2,000.
 

Near Gem Mint State 1863 Gold Dollar
Lot 1889      1863. PCGS graded MS-64. Great luster and well struck. One thin hairline in the lower right obverse field, and in an older green insert holder. Color photo.
Estimated Value $7,500-8,500.
 
Lot 1890      1868. PCGS graded MS-65 H. W. Bass Jr Coll. A superb example of this scarce low mintage issue. Well struck and ablaze with satiny golden-orange color with cameo contrast between the fields and the devices. This delightful example has considerable aesthetic appeal. The PCGS census reports but 8 in this grade with 9 higher. Color photo.
Estimated Value $3,500-4,000.
From the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Coll. Part II, lot 170. Formerly from Paramount's Auction '85 sale, July 1985, Lot 1388.
 
Lot 1891      1873. Open 3. PCGS graded MS-65. Well struck and sparkling bright with undistrubed satiny mint luster.
Estimated Value $1,300-1,400.
 
Lot 1892      1874. MS-60+. Some hairlines and a few minor handling ticks. Decent color and luster.
Estimated Value $200-225.
 
Lot 1893      1878. PCGS graded MS-66 The Childs Collection. A well struck and absolutely superb example of this rare low mintage date. A mere 3000 business strikes were made and this little treasure is easily one of the finest. Deep golden-orange in color with two natural coppery toning spots on the neck and below the chin, mentioned for the sake of identification only, the surfaces glitter with a mixture of frosty devices and semi-reflective fields. PCGS lists only 3 in this grade with none higher.. Color photo.
Estimated Value $3,500-4,000.
The Childs Collection.
 
Lot 1894      1883. PCGS graded MS-66. Blazing gold luster with a touch of coppery gold on the lower obverse, and well struck as well. Struck without the usual clash marks, and the fields and devices are pristine.
Estimated Value $1,500-1,700.
 
Lot 1895      1886. NGC graded MS-67. A sparkling little gem that shimmers with rich golden-orange and pale olive mint bloom color. Color photo.
Estimated Value $2,700-2,900.