2006

1851 Augustus Humbert $50. Kagin-7. 887 THOUS. Target Reverse. Octagonal. Reeded Edge. Rarity-7. AU-

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Collections Start Price:18,500.00 USD Estimated At:55,000.00 - 75,000.00 USD
1851 Augustus Humbert $50. Kagin-7. 887 THOUS. Target Reverse. Octagonal. Reeded Edge. Rarity-7. AU-
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This soft honey-gold $50 “ingot” enjoys warm orange highlights, especially on the obverse – the reverse casts an olive-gold glow. Low magnification reveals a pebbly texture that suggests lightly rusted dies at the time of striking; a feature shared by all Kagin-7 slugs that we have seen. Scattered marks are seen in the obverse field, but the rims held up admirably to circulation and exhibit nothing more than a few tiny ticks. Typical weak striking is apparent on the highest points of the eagle’s wing, neck and shield.
This variety combines the obverse of the 1851 with .887 with the reverse of the 1852. On the .887 K-6 variety, the outer ribbon on the reverse is quite near the edge at the center of each octagonal bar, and the concentric circles in the center are larger resembling a bull’s-eye or target. On this K-7 variety and on the reverse of the 1852 K-11, the concentric circles are smaller (or there is no “target reverse”), and the outer ribbon is well away from the rims. On the obverse the .887 is raised on the coin and therefore punched into the die, unlike the earlier 1851 lettered edge varieties.
While not as rare as previously thought, Kagin-7 is scarce and usually brings a premium over its 1852 cousin. Serious bidding will be the order of the day for this important California gold rarity.