By Frank Van Valen, Numismatist and
Cataloger, U.S. Coins. Based on the lot description by James Matthews, Senior
Numismatist and Consignment Director, U.S. Coins.
An outstanding
NGC-certified MS-64 1806 quarter dollar will be one of many highlights in our
upcoming September 2013 auction event in the City of Brotherly Love,
Philadelphia. Lot 3096 in our Official Auction of the Whitman Coin and
Collectibles Exposition has a long and important pedigree attached to it,
including such names as Wayte Raymond and John Jay Pittman, to which will be
added that of the fortunate bidder who takes it home from the upcoming auction.
This attractive
golden-gray specimen exhibits pale rose and blue iridescence in a bold light
source, a grand amount of supportive luster, and a strike that is finer than
typically seen for the variety – Browning-2, Rarity-2.
The surfaces
exhibit clash marks on both sides and there are a group of advanced die cracks
on the reverse. A cud later forms on the reverse above TATE in STATES, but the
specimen offered in this sale is from an earlier reverse die state and has yet
to form the mentioned cud.
Quarter dollars
of the Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle style, as offered, were made in just four
years – 1804, 1805, 1806, and 1807. After 1807, no quarters were produced until
1815, and those were of a new style. Fortunately for today’s collectors, the
1806 is not a major rarity, and though it is scarce in high grades, examples
such as this beautiful piece are not priced to the stratosphere, and when
located, make excellent additions to advanced U.S. type sets as well as early
quarter holdings.
If past auction
history is any gauge, all eyes will be on our Philadelphia event, and many of
those same eyes will be on the beautiful 1806 quarter as it crosses the auction
block. If you mean to have an example as fine as this piece, your best bet is
to bid with tenacity, or else the lovely MS-64 1806 quarter may find its way
into a world-class collection other than yours.
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