1016

1840-D $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
1840-D $2 1/2 MS61 NGC.
1840-D $2 1/2 MS61 NGC. Variety 1-A. (per Doug Winter's second edition and revised attribution system). There is a rim-to-rim obverse die crack that bisects the bust and runs from the inside star 5 to the rim between stars 12 and 13. The reverse has three large cracks, two of which merge above the fletchings of the upper arrow. This is the more available of the two varieties for this year.RARITY INFORMATION: The 1840-D is tied for the third rarest Dahlonega quarter eagle and it is the rarest issue in high grades. There are only one or two pieces known in Uncirculated as well as five to eight properly graded AU coins. The finest known is the Duke's Creek/Bareford coin, graded MS61 by PCGS, which many specialists regard as one of the great Dahlonega quarter eagles of any date.STRIKE: In spite of the aforementioned obverse and reverse cracks, this piece is actually rather well detailed for the issue. The hair detail on the obverse is well defined with no weakness noted on the curls around the face. The stars have some flatness at the centers, as always seen. The reverse is incredibly sharp with nearly complete definition on the eagle's feathers and wings. In fact, the reverse is as sharp as on any 1840-D quarter eagle we have ever seen.SURFACES: There are some light hairlines (not from cleaning) that are consistent with the grade on both the obverse and reverse. There is a light scrape below the chin on the obverse, a few marks to the left of the date, and a few light marks to the right of the eagle's head. The 1840-D is among the most difficult Dahlonega gold coins of any denomination to locate with acceptable surfaces.LUSTER: A previous dipping has subdued the luster on the obverse; the reverse has a bit more "flash" to it.COLORATION: Pale light green-gold color can be seen on both sides. Because of the dipping, there is no other coloration visible.EYE APPEAL: When one views the pool of high grade 1840-D quarter eagles, this piece is among the very best available. While it is not as original as some collectors might like, it still has a nice "commercial" appearance. The strike is especially noteworthy while the surfaces are far above average.COMPARABLES: We are not aware of another third-party certified Uncirculated 1840-D quarter eagle that has been sold at auction. The PCGS AU58 Bass II: 329 coin, sold by Bowers and Merena in October 1999, realized $22,000 and we sold a PCGS AU55 in our 1999 FUN auction as lot 7626 for $20,125.PEDIGREE: Obtained via private treaty by the consignor in 2002. This is the plate coin the second edition in Winter's book on Dahlonega gold and it is listed in the current Condition Census. Important notice: Heritage usually auctions material at the rate of 200-250 lots per hour. On some occasions eBay Live bid software or the Internet may not be able to keep up with the pace of the auction. We recommend placing a realistic absentee bid now as insurance to avoid disappointment. Occasionally the auctioneer may eliminate or reject an eBay Live bid, and the auctioneer may also reopen a lot after the close of the eBay live bidding (usually because we missed an audience bid), and may reject your bid even if it shows you as the winning bidder. By bidding via eBay Live, you agree that Heritage may award the lot to another bidder at its sole discretion under the circumstances described above or any other reasonable circumstances. Also please note that all Heritage lots purchased through eBay Live carry a 20% Buyer's Premium. Please make sure you read the Terms and Conditions before you bid.