| Description: |
A wisp of even pale gold toning graces the frosty motifs and mirror fields of this
impressive cameo Proof dollar; PCGS has not certified a finer specimen within the CAM
designation. Nicely struck. The only date in the series after 1861 with a Proof mintage
figure in four figures—in this case an even 1,000 pieces were struck—though this date
is considerably scarcer in Proof than that figure indicates. As Dave Bowers noted in his
Encyclopedia, "It is one of those little anomalies of numismatics, and a spur to
numismatic research and inquisitiveness, to note that today 1870 Proof dollars are
slightly scarcer than are, for example, those dated 1867 (which has a considerably lower
mintage). Apparently, most 1870 Proof dollars were distributed with minor and silver Proof
sets. The scarcity of survivors suggests that quantities may have remained unsold at the
end of the year and were melted, many after July 10, 1873." No matter the cause, the
present coin is an unheralded rarity among Proof Liberty Seated dollars, and it is a
lovely coin to behold as well. Need we say more?PCGS Population: 7; none finer within the
designation. |
