Feb 18-19, 2002, The Benson Collection Part 2, Sale 13
Lot 946
1824. O-111, R-2.
PCGS graded EF-40. Dark blue and gray toning throughout with nice
luster beneath. A strong double profile on Liberty. One rim bump over the I of
AMERICA.
Estimated Value $70-80.
From the Benson collection and
purchased from Chapman on June 24, 1944 for $1.50.
Lot 947
1824. O-111, R-2.
EF-40. Reflective surfaces and toned around the edge. A strong
double profile on Liberty as often seen from her chest to her upper curl.
Estimated Value $70-80.
From the Benson collection and purchased
from Ira S. Reed on June 24, 1944 for $1.50.
Lot 948
1824. O-110, R-2.
VF-20. Antique gray at the centers, and with lovely peripheral
toning. Minor handling marks.
Estimated Value $40-50.
From the
Benson collection and purchased from Ira S. Reed on June 24, 1944 for $1.50.
Lot 949
1825. O-113, R-1.
AU-55. Make sure to view this coin before the sale, as it has
virtually the same eye appeal as the 1824 that NGC graded MS-66, but this one
has a few faint scratches on the obverse. Blazing luster and deeply toned with
electric blue and red on the obverse, mostly white on the reverse save for blue
at the edge. Boldly struck, with mountainous curls on Liberty, and full
feathers on the eagle. The reverse has some faint adjustment marks or roller
lines which are present on the devices. Who knows, this one may fall through
the cracks when it crosses the block.
Estimated Value $150-175.
From
the Benson collection and purchased from Ira S. Reed on June 24, 1944 for
$1.60.
Lot 950
1826. O-107, R-3.
AU-55. This one has been lightly polished, but has now retoned with
medium gray and gold on the obverse, lighter silver on the reverse. Nicely
struck by the dies, with light cracks through the reverse legends.
Estimated Value $125-175.
From the Benson collection and purchased
from Ira S. Reed on June 24, 1944 for $1.50.
Lot 951
1826. O-116a, R-1.
PCGS graded AU-53. Flashy luster and well struck by the dies, with
deep peripheral toning on the obverse.
Estimated Value $150-200.
From the Benson collection and purchased from Ira S. Reed in 1944 for
$2.50.
Lot 952
1827. 7 over 6, O-102, R-1.
VF-20. This one has several scratches on the central obverse, and a
few more on the reverse. Toned with lovely hues on the obverse.
Estimated
Value $50-60.
From the Benson collection and purchased from James G.
Macallister on September 6, 1944 for $5.00.
Lot 953
1827. Square base 2. O-104,
R-1. NGC graded MS-64. A fully struck specimen, nice and bold
throughout. This gorgeous example shimmers with satiny white mint luster.
Because it is a common variety, this beauty is an ideal type coin.
Estimated Value $1,200-1,400.
Lot 954
1827. Square base 2, O-143,
R-3. PCGS graded AU-55. Excellent color and eye appeal, with a few
scattered handling marks on both sides. Dark gold toning around the rims.
Scarce this nice.
Estimated Value $175-225.
From the Benson
collection and purchased from Ira S. Reed on June 3, 1944 for $1.50.
Lot 955
1827. Square base 2, O-104,
R-1. PCGS graded AU-50. Antique gray tones with sunset gold at the
rims. Well struck and nicely preserved, with minimal handling marks. A common
variety, but very nice overall.
Estimated Value $150-175.
From the
Benson collection and purchased from Celina Coin Company on July 26, 1944 for
$2.50.
Lot 956
1827. Curl base 2, O-146,
R-2. PCGS graded AU-55. Good luster in the fields and nice colors at
the rims. Moderate handling marks from very brief circulation and a decent
example of this popular and scarce curled base 2 variety.
Estimated Value
$170-200.
From the Benson collection and purchased from James G.
Macallister on September 12, 1944 for $5.00.
Lot 957
1828. Curl base, no knob 2,
O-101, R-1. PCGS graded AU-53. Blue, red and gold toning around the
obverse rim, with some luster in the fields. Average handling marks, but much
better eye appeal.
Estimated Value $175-225.
From the Benson
collection and purchased from Ira S. Reed on February 26, 1944 for $2.00.
Lot 958
1828. Square base 2, large
8's, O-109, R-3. PCGS graded AU-50. Satiny gray toning with antique
gray at the rims. Moderate handling marks expected for the grade, and a
pleasant coin overall.
Estimated Value $170-200.
From the Benson
collection and purchased from James G. Macallister on September 6, 1944 for
$4.00.
Lot 959
1828. Square base 2, small
8's, O-116, R-2. AU-58. This one shows hairlines from a cleaning on
the obverse, but has retoned over the decades with fiery gold and blue at the
rims, still bright at the center. Worth inspecting as you will find the colors
quite bright and alluring.
Estimated Value $175-225.
From the Benson
collection and purchased from James G. Macallister for $1.50.
Lot 960
1828. Square base 2, small
8's, O-117, R-1. PCGS graded MS-62. Dark steel gray in color with
hints of blue near the rims and rose at the centers. A good strike by the dies,
and the surfaces show minimal handling marks. We note one thin scratch at the
inside point of the fourth star.
Estimated Value $500-600.
From the
Benson collection and purchased from an unknown source in the 1940s.
Lot 961
1829. 9 over 7, O-101a,
R-1. PCGS graded EF-40. Great peripheral color and well preserved.
The surfaces show an average number of handling marks for the grade.
Estimated Value $100-120.
From the Benson collection and purchased
from Chapman on June 24, 1944 for $2.00.
Lot 962
1829. 9 over 7, O-101a,
R-1. Fine-15. Cleaned with resulting hairlines in the fields. Dark
toning on both sides.
Estimated Value $40-50.
From the Benson
collection and purchased from Celina Coins on July 26, 1944 for $3.00.
Lot 963
1829. O-115, R-1.
EF-40. A stunning beauty that boasts glowing gold tones at the rims,
and abundant mint frost. Well struck and preserved with delightful eye appeal.
Estimated Value $75-100.
From the Benson collection and purchased
from an unknown source in the 1940s for $2.00.
Lot 964
1829. O-108a, R-3.
VF-20. Cleaned long ago and now toned with greenish gold around the
rims, bright at the center of the obverse, the reverse mostly untoned.
Estimated Value $35-45.
From the Benson collection and purchased
from Ira S. Reed on June 24, 1944 for $1.50.
Lot 965
1829. O-118,
Rarity-4 and 1830. O-103, Rarity-2. The first grades AU-50, but is cleaned
rather harshly, and the 1830 grades AU-55. Worth inspecting, as the 1829 is
a tough variety. Lot of 2 coins.
Estimated Value $300-350.
Lot 966
1830. Small 0, O-111.
NGC graded Proof 64. An Extremely Rare Proof Example. First
off, examination of the mirror surfaces and strike confirm that this is a
proof. The stars and full and complete, each of the thirteen showing full
radial lines and most showing the central ridge which extends down the middle
of each star arm. Further, the central clasp on Liberty's shoulder is sharp,
and minute traces of doubling are noted on several of the peripheral devices,
confirming at least two strikes from the dies. Well mirrored fields, including
between the shield stripes from polished dies, which is expected on proofs.
Minor weakness in the strike on the absolute top most curls, and on the eagle's
left claw above the C. The surfaces are toned with gold and sunset yellow
colors predominating, with blue splashes near the edge of both sides. Frosted
on the devices, and the coin boasts good contrast.
No others have been
reported in proof of this die pairing, and it is quite possibly Unique.
in proof. Further research will likely enhance the rarity of this date and
variety in proof.
As to the rarity, we note PCGS has graded a single example
in Proof as PR-62. NGC reports only a single coin graded in proof, this example
as PF-64. Estimates of the total population range from four to ten coins, of
various die pairings, and we were able to locate auction records of at most six
different coins over the past 100 or so years (others may have been offered,
but this the information we could reasonably locate) as follows:
1).
Bowers and Ruddy's Terrell Sale, 5/73:837: The present coin. Note the two
tiny specks below TE of UNITED for the plate match.
2). Lester Merkin's
Sale, 2/12/71: 720 later Stack's Reed Hawn Sale, 8/73:93 (two toning dots over
head). (Both plated)
3). 1949 ANA Sale, Numismatic Gallery, lot 1482 (No
plate) at $38.00.
4). David Aker's John Jay Pittman Sale II, 5/20/98:1494
"possible proof", O-108, realized $10,450. (Plate).
5). Stack's Davis-Graves
Sale, 1954:519 "has break from D to ribbon" at $30. (No plate).
6).
Chapman's Parmelee Sale, 1890: 998 at $5.50 (No plate).
Some duplication is
likely in the above group, and not all coins were plated making confirmation of
the pieces known extremely difficult if not impossible. With so few known, the
present coin is likely either the Parmelee or the 1949 ANA coin (or both!) but
this is uncertain until individual notes are studied from attendees of the
auction who examined and made notes about the coins offered. Breen notes only
Overton-110 as a known variety in Proof in his Proof reference, and later in
his Encyclopedia mentions "several varieties of proofs" but does not enumerate
the Overton numbers that he had seen.
A foremost opportunity for the
specialist to purchase an extremely rare coin.
Remember that proofs from
this era were issued on a hit or miss basis. In some years a dozen of various
denominations may have been coined, in other years none. As seen above, the
1830 proof half dollar is an extremely rare animal. One could argue that there
are half a dozen known, and could just as easily argue that this 1830 proof
half dollar is unique. Whatever the case, we heartily recommend this beautiful
proof coin. Color photo.
Estimated Value $15,000-UP.
From Bowers and
Ruddy's Terrell Sale, May 18-19, 1973, lot 837, prior and past offerings
possible.
Lot 967
1830. Small 0, O-107, R-2.
PCGS graded EF-45. Nearly the "a" die state but lacking the lower
crack through the last couple of stars. Dark russet and blue toning and quite
lovely for the conservative grade assigned.
Estimated Value $60-70.
From the Benson collection and purchased from Chapman on June 24, 1944
for $2.25.
Lot 968
1830. Small 0, O-110, R-3.
VF-35. Moderate hairlines beneath the lovely peripheral toning, with
the centers still bright.
Estimated Value $30-40.
From the Benson
collection and purchased from Ira S. Reed on June 3, 1944 for $1.40.
Lot 969
1830. Small 0, O-108, R-3.
Fine-12 but harshly cleaned. Harshly cleaned and possibly scraped on
the obverse, but now retoned. Inspection a must.
Estimated Value $25-35.
From the Benson collection and purchased from an unknown source for
$1.50.
Lot 970
1830. Large 0, O-123, R-1.
PCGS graded EF-45. Beautiful toning around the obverse periphery,
with gold on the reverse edge too. Good luster and well preserved.
Estimated Value $60-70.
From the Benson collection and purchased
from Celina Coin Co., on July 26, 1944 for $3.50.
Lot 971
1831 O-106, R-3.
MS-64 or better. Beautiful russet and blue toning over lustrous
fields and devices. We note the devices are sharply impressed, and that this is
a scarce die pairing. This one is at the low end of the condition census for
the variety, but we would expect this magnificent coin to sell to a type
collector who is assembling a high grade mint state collection. An outstanding
example that was put away many years ago and just finally come back into the
light of day.
Estimated Value $2,500-UP.
Lot 972
1831. O-107, R-3.
PCGS graded AU-58. Strong luster and graced by lovely toning around
the periphery.
Estimated Value $200-225.
From the Benson collection
and purchased from Ira S. Reed in 1944 for $1.50.
Lot 973
1832. Normal. O-110, R-1.
NGC graded MS-63. A sparkling frosty mint specimen exhibiting a near
full strike on the obverse with an area of weakness on the reverse at PLURIBUS.
We notice some minor green stains in some of the protected areas, one of note
behind the cap. We suspect that NGC has taken this into consideration and
graded this coin accordingly. In our opinion, these minor stains are removable
and as such, this coin could grade even higher.
Estimated Value $700-800.