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1854-D $2 1/2 MS64 NGC.Ex: Winthop Carn

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1854-D $2 1/2 MS64 NGC.Ex: Winthop Carn
<B>1854-D<$2 1/2> MS64 NGC.</B></I> Variety 17-M. The only variety of the year. Easily identifiable by a number of thin diagonal die lines near the date and the last star. Struck from lightly clashed dies.<BR> This is a remarkable coin that was discovered by dealer Winthrop Carner at a small coin show in Georgia in 1996. It was sold to Paul Nugget who, in turn, sold it to collector William Miller. It entered the Duke's Creek Collection in 1999. It is easily the finest known 1854-D and remains a coin that is considerably finer than any other quarter eagle of this date and mintmark.<BR> The strike is extremely sharp for the date, with all of the details displaying above average clarity with the exception of BE in LIBERTY and the corresponding area on the reverse. The denticles on both sides show some weakness, which is diagnostic for the issue. The surfaces are extremely clean, with just a small Mint-made planchet defect on the jaw of Liberty worthy of mention. The luster is frosted, and there is a slightly prooflike finish in the fields, which is far different from the typical dull, granular texture usually seen on this issue. Both sides glow with medium green-gold color, and this coloration appears to be original and untampered with. The eye appeal of this coin is truly exceptional for the date.<BR> Only 1,760 examples were struck. While the rarity of the 1854-D has been exaggerated in the past, it is clearly a rarer coin than its more famous counterpart, the 1854-D three dollar gold piece. Around 65-75 examples of the quarter eagles are known, with a dozen or so properly graded AU coins and another six or so in Uncirculated. The current Condition Census for the issue lists the Duke's Creek coin as the finest known by a wide margin. Interestingly, at one time the Duke's Creek Collection contained two Uncirculated examples of this date. The lower quality duplicate, graded MS60 by PCGS, was last offered by Heritage as lot 7856 in the 1999 ANA Sale. Another coin, a conservatively graded PCGS MS62, was sold in early 1999 by Heritage for $63,250. Today, with the market far more appreciative of exceptional one-of-a-kind coins, is possible that this piece could bring close to six figures.<BR><I>Ex: Winthrop Carner; Paul Nugget/Spectrum Numismatics; William Miller Collection; Heritage (2/99), lot 6177, where it brought $63,250.</B></I><BR><I>From The Duke's Creek Collection of Dahlonega Gold.</B></I>