| Description: |
A sparkling gem, a beautiful coin with reflective fields and frosty motifs. Bright yellow
gold with distinctive olive highlights. Nicely struck in all places, though there is some
weakness on the eagle's legs on the reverse, a sticking point with most quarter eagles of
the era. Dubbed America's first commemorative, and rightfully so, as this issue was struck
from raw California gold, fresh from the gold fields of 1848, and issued to pay tribute to
America's new-found riches. With the supply of well-circulated examples of this famous
issue currently available, it is not easy to remember that at one time every CAL. quarter
eagle, all 1,389 examples from these dies closely resembled the beautiful coin presented
here. Amazingly enough this coin survived through to 2006. One other has been cerified
finer by NGC and this writer hopes he has the opportunity to view that MS-68* example, for
nothing short of visual approbation will convince this writer there is a finer example out
there. Bidders are confronted here by a spectacular coin, a beautiful specimen with a
cameo appearance, pristine surfaces, and with a wealth of American history thrown in for
good measure.NGC Census: 1; 1 finer (MS-68*). |
