1854 G25C BG-103 MS(PCGS#10372)

August 2021 ANA U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

6339

等级

MS62

价格

583,060

详细说明

Mint State 1854 BG-103 Octagonal 25 Cents A Landmark Rarity in the California Small Denomination Gold Series Perhaps Just Three Known 1854 Octagonal 25 Cents. BG-103. Rarity-8. Liberty Head. MS-62 (PCGS). One of the rarest and most desirable coins in the fabulous Oregon Collection, this BG-103 would stand out as a leading highlight in any collection. Subtle powder blue and pale pink highlights are seen on even, pale straw-gold surfaces. Faintly semi-reflective in the fields, yet generally satiny in texture, bold striking detail adds to this coin's appeal. Otherwise very smooth for the assigned grade, a few faint scratches on Liberty's cheek are noted, but only because they serve as useful identifiers for establishing this coin's provenance. This intriguing and exceedingly rare variety is the product of Frontier, Deviercy & Co. It combines a late state of the BG-102 obverse (stars crumbling) with a reverse that features the dramatic DOLLA blunder, the letter D also prominently repunched. Bob Leonard's census published in the 2003 edition of the standard reference California Pioneer Fractional Goldby Breen and Gillio lists just three specimens, but with one possibly a duplicate, suggesting that perhaps only two examples are known. The possible duplicates were certified MS-64 and MS-63 by PCGS at that time but, interestingly, the MS-64 is no longer listed on the PCGS Population Report (NGC lists only a single example of this variety, an MS-62). The Kenneth W. Lee-Jay Roe specimen was certified AU-58 by PCGS as of our (Bowers and Merena's) September 2003 sale of the latter collection. That coin is distinct from the present example and, interestingly again, PCGS no longer reports an AU-58 for this variety. With three grading events combined in PCGS and NGC MS-62, the Jay Roe specimen has likely been upgraded to that level, where it joins the present example for at least two confirmed coins in this grade. With the PCGS MS-63 tentatively assigned to the Census #1 and/or #2 coins in the Leonard listing, we offer a defensible, if still not completely confirmed estimate of three coins extant for the BG-103 variety. Here is a landmark rarity in any event, and a significant offering for the specialist that is sure to result in spirited competition. Provenance: From the Oregon Collection. PCGS Population: 2; 1 finer (MS-63). PCGS# 10372. NGC ID: 2BGM. Click here for certification details from PCGS.