1852 "887" $50 RE Augustus Humbert VF35 认证号04514713, PCGS号10217

K-11, R.5. The last of fifty dollar slug varieties issued prior to the reorganization of the California mint as the United States Assay Office of Gold. The assay office was operated by Moffat & Co., which dissolved after its founder, John Little Moffat, left the firm in 1852. The new principles were Curtis, Perry, and Ward. Business continued as before, but the name of Augustus Humbert would no longer appear on the coins struck at the facility. This straw-gold slug has glimpses of rose-tinted luster within the wings, legends, and engine turning. The distributed marks are appropriate for 25 points of wear. Certified in a green label holder, and listed on page 353 of the 2008 Guide Book.

Ron Guth

In 1852, Curtis, Perry, and Ward organized the United States Assay Office of Gold as the successor organization of the provisional U.S. Assay Office under Augustus Humbert.  This resulted in two $50 "Slugs" in 1852 -- one under Humbert (Kagin 11) and one under the newly organized U.S. Assay Office of Gold (Kagin 13).  A third 1852 "Slug" (Kagin 14) was actually made in 1853 and bears a higher fineness of .900.

The 1852 Humbert $50 is a scarce variety that usually comes heavily circulated, bumped, and bruised.  A few, low-end Mint State examples have been identfied, but the real prize is a single, fully-struck example that is currently in an NGC Specimen64 holder.  Because of multiple blows of the dies (at least two), the details on this coin are far superior to those seen on any other example of this variety.