| Description: |
One of the highlight rarities of our sale, a coin of great rarity and importance. Heavily
frosted central devices contrast sharply with deeply mirrored fields which leave no
question about the Proof nature of this impressive jewel. The color is an even light
yellow gold, the surfaces are pristine but for some small inherent planchet chips – we
can locate no post-striking flaws under magnified scrutiny but for a single hairline under
T of UNITED, a tiny spot under the sinister wing, and an insignificant speck in the
denticles outside star 4. A long, thin die crack extends from star 8 through the central
device to 7 in the date, engraver’s scratch at corner of lips. Boldly struck with detail
in the hair and ear not usually seen on quarter eagles of this type. The visual
presentation of this piece, maintained by collectors whose names we know for over 100
years and collectors whose names are lost before that, is simply a marvel.Two examples of
the 1837 quarter eagle are known in Proof format. This piece is the only one any collector
could hope to own, as the other piece traces its provenance to the Mint Cabinet and is
today in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. While other
early Proof gold coins are extremely rare, three to five examples are known of some of
these delicacies (or even more in some rare circumstances) but this piece is for all
intents and purposes unique. The 1837 half eagle in Proof is present only in the
Smithsonian collection, and will never again be owned privately.Two die varieties are
known of the 1837 quarter eagle. Interestingly, the Proof specimens are both struck from
the die which features a long die crack, heavy repunching at star 8 and more modest
repunching at star 9, and repunching in the 8 and 7 of the date. The varieties are easily
distinguished by the position of star 8, as this one points at a hair curl and the other
one points between two hair curls. Early American gold coins in Proof appeal to
numismatists on many fronts: their unique beauty, their extreme rarity, their history of
ownership by some of our nation’s best known and more storied numismatists. The next
owner of this coin has an incomparable responsibility as steward of a coin that, in a
literal sense, has no equal in the hands of collectors.PCGS Population: 1, none finer.
This specimen was formerly encapsulated as NGC Proof-66 Cameo; that insert accompanies
this lot. At the time of the Bass sale, this coin was certified as Proof-65, and that
notation in current population data represents this coin.From the sale of the Harry W.
Bass, Jr. Collection, Part III, May 2000, Lot 94. Earlier, from Bowers and Ruddy
Galleries’ sale of the Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, October 1982, Lot 104.
Eliasberg acquired this coin when he bought the John H. Clapp Collection intact in 1942.
Earlier still, from the Chapman brother’s sale of the John G. Mills Collection, April
1904, Lot 552. Earlier acquired from New York Coin and Stamp Company’s sale of the Lorin
G. Parmalee Collection, June 1890, Lot 1071. |
