January 25-28, 2004, The Pre-Long Beach Coin & Currency Auction
Sale 23

(If you have a problem viewing enlarged photos, your browser may be blocking pop-up windows. Check with your IT consultant.)

Gold Dollars

$1 Liberty

Click on photo to enlarge.

3098    1849. Open wreath. PCGS graded MS-63. Breen 6002. Attractive, milky-gold toning. The reverse has some interesting features: the 1 of the date is repunched, the reverse has a diagonal, bisecting crack, and many of the stars show repunching, especially the one at 5:00.
Estimated Value $1,200-1,400.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3099    1851. VF-35.
Estimated Value $100-110.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3100    1851-C. EF-40. Although cleaned long ago, the strike is full and on a decent problem-free planchet.
Estimated Value $500-600.
From the Neggen Sale, Feb., 1976, lot 748.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3101    1852 and 1862. Both AU-58. Each in an old green PCGS holder. Lot of 2 coins.
Estimated Value $300-330.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3102    1853. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck and lightly toned. In an old green PCGS holder.
Estimated Value $280-310.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3103    1854 Type 1. NGC graded MS-64. A well struck beauty with undisturbed frosty mint luster.
Estimated Value $1,300-1,400.
 

$1 Indian

Gem 1854 $1 Gold Indian Type II

Click on photo to enlarge.

3104    1854 Type 2. NGC graded MS-65 PQ. A satiny, fully frosted Gem with nearly perfect surfaces on both sides. Housed in an early generation NGC holder, back when grades are believed to have been a tad more conservative than they are today. Thus, the possibility exists for a higher grade. From an early state of the dies, minus the clashmarks that seem to be so common on this date and type. Liberty's cheek is especially fresh-looking and clean. The color is a comforting, soft, golden-yellow. All in all, this is a remarkable, high condition example of the date.
This type is significant and desirable because of its short life of only three years. The design change from the earlier Liberty Head type was not dramatic enough to create much collector demand, plus there were very few collectors in America in 1854, so most Gold Dollars were spent or otherwise non-numismatically preserved. Because of today's demand for gold type sets, this has now become an important coin for such purposes. Naturally, the rush towards quality has propelled prices for Gems into the stratosphere, and competition is fierce whenever these important coins come onto the market. Numismatic fads will come and go, but this is one coin that will always be in demand.
Estimated Value $35,000-45,000.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3105    1854 Type 2. MS-62. A nice frosty example with a fully struck up date. Includes an NGC MS-62 tag.
Estimated Value $3,000-3,500.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3106    1854 Type 2. NGC graded MS-61. Well struck with a nice full date and all lightly toned.
Estimated Value $2,400-2,650.
 

1855 $1 Gold Indian

Click on photo to enlarge.

3107    1855. PCGS graded MS-63 PQ. A well struck example of this date with all the numerals in the date nice and clear. This example has lots of eye appeal due to its natural golden-orange mint bloom color. If you have been looking for a choice brilliant uncirculated example of the popular type two gold dollar, here is your chance to acquire one of Premium Quality for the grade. Color photo.
Estimated Value $12,000-13,000.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3108    1855 Type 2. NGC graded AU-58. As usual, the numeral "8" in the date is weak as struck. The nice lustrous surfaces more than justifies the grade.
Estimated Value $500-700.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3109    1855 Type 2. VF-35.
Estimated Value $220-240.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3110    1862. PCGS graded MS-66. Lovely orange toning with near flawless surfaces. A well struck, frosty Gem, with some of the deepest mint frost you'll ever see on a Gold Dollar of this date. PCGS reports 22 in this grade, with only 2 finer. Among the finest known.
Estimated Value $2,700-3,000.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3111    1862. PCGS graded MS-66. A heavily frosted Gem that features heavy, coruscating mint luster on both sides. Wonderful eye appeal, due mainly to the delightful, pink-gold clor. PCGS Pop: 23, with 2 finer (both MS-67). Color photo.
Estimated Value $2,700-3,000.
 

1874 $1 Gold Indian

Click on photo to enlarge.

3112    1874. PCGS graded Proof 64 Deep Cameo. A splendid glittering Proof specimen with outstanding cameo contrast. The bright mirror fields are light golden in color with a hint of delicate orange in the field before Liberty. One of only 20 minted, all on February 14, 1874 and one of the important rarities in the Proof gold coin series. Undervalued compared to 1875 and 1878, because there are a profusion of uncirculated specimens for date collectors. Populaton of 1. This is the only example graded by PCGS in Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $10,000-12,000.
 

Tied for Finest Graded by NGC

Click on photo to enlarge.

3113    1880. NGC graded MS-68. Bright, pale-yellow (but Prooflike) surfaces. Superb quality, right at the top for the date. NGC reports only 11 coins at this level, and none finer.

This example is very difficult to tell from a Proof. Per Breen, it lacks the die file marks at ATE, the wreath tips are joined, and the top serif of the 1 is below the adjacent leaf tip. There are no clash marks in the fields, but there is some granularity in the denticles on the reverse. If not a Proof, then this was certainly one of the first coins from the dies.
Estimated Value $5,500-6,000.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3114    1881. NGC graded MS-67. An absolute superb specimen. Boldly struck throughout with sparkling satiny mint surfaces that are immaculate. Population of 56 with 20 in MS-68 and 2 in MS-69. A low mintage date as only 7707 were struck, including 87 proofs.
Estimated Value $2,800-3,200.
 

1885 $1 Gold Indian

Click on photo to enlarge.

3115    1885. NGC graded Proof 67 Cameo. A glittering jewel, with just a hint of milky toning on both sides and light frosting on the high points. Delightful, orange-peel surfaces. NGC reports 9 in this grade, with only 2 finer (both Proof-68). Proof-66 examples of this date have been approaching the $10,000 mark for some time, so this nicer coin should reach our estimate range with no problem.

The overall mintage for the 1885 Gold Dollar was slightly over 1,000 Proofs and slightly over 10,000 circulation strikes. Thus, any example of this date can be considered a rarity. Many of the Proofs were spent (either mistakenly or deliberately) and many of the circulation strikes are Prooflike, but come with poorly struck borders. Thus, top grade examples of this date are extremely rare. Even circulation strikes are nearly impossible to find in MS-67! Color photo.
Estimated Value $15,000-17,000.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3116    1886. NGC graded MS-62 Prooflike. Well struck and glitters like a proof. Mintage of 6000 business strikes.
Estimated Value $350-400.
 

Click on photo to enlarge.

3117    1887. PCGS graded MS-65 PQ. A well struck gem with pristine satiny mint surfaces and pinkish-golden in color. In a 1st generation PCGS holder and certainly a Premium Quality example.
Estimated Value $1,200-1,400.