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1808 $2 1/2 MS61 NGC. Bass-3017, Breen-6125, R.4. The 1808[$2 1/2] MS61 NGC.

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1808 $2 1/2 MS61 NGC. Bass-3017, Breen-6125, R.4. The 1808[$2 1/2] MS61 NGC.
<B>1808<$2 1/2> MS61 NGC.</B></I> Bass-3017, Breen-6125, R.4. The 1808 quarter eagle is a transcendent rarity that is well known outside collectors of 19th century gold type coins. John Reich's design was struck in just this one year, and only 2,710 pieces were minted. Of that number it has been estimated that fewer than 2% exist today in all grades, with 35-40 pieces being a reasonable estimate of the surviving specimens. Breen speculates that the low survival rate may be due to the weak borders on all known coins which exposed them to undue wear. Every 1808 quarter eagle we have seen has had rim problems of some sort, probably due to the lack of raised detail evident around the margins.<BR> When located, the typical 1808 is usually VF-XF with AU pieces quite rare and desirable. Only a handful of strictly Mint State quarter eagles from this year exist today. Combining the coins certified by NGC and PCGS yields only 11 coins in MS61 with another 11 in higher grades (minus and unknown number of resubmissions). This is an attractive yellow-gold coin that has a bright sheen over each side. The rims are irregular, as one would expect, and the wingtips are weak, as always, with good (but not complete) definition on the other devices. The only mentionable marks are a vertical staple scratch behind Liberty's eye and several other pinscratches in the field below the eagle's head.<BR><I>From The Guadalupe Collection.</B></I>