7803

1976 National Bicentennial Medal MS65 Uncertified. Only 1976 National Bicentennial Medal MS65 Uncert

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1976 National Bicentennial Medal MS65 Uncertified. Only 1976 National Bicentennial Medal MS65 Uncert
<B>1976 National Bicentennial Medal MS65 Uncertified.</B></I> Only 424 of these large, three-inch medals were struck, in .900 gold, to help commemorate our nation's Bicentennial. Seemingly pristine, this piece is held in an attractive cherrywood box, with purple velvet lining. Originally priced at $4,000, these were "the first gold medals in the history of the United States to be specifically authorized by Congress for sale to the public" (according to ex-Mint Director Mary Brooks). Restrictions on the private ownership of gold had recently been lifted, on December 31, 1974. The obverse depicts the Statue of Liberty, while the reverse features the Great Seal of the United States. This beautiful commemorative item weighs 476 grams (16.67 Troy ounces).<BR> Included with the lot are the aforementioned cherrywood box; a dark-blue cardboard storage box; a letter describing the medal and offering it for sale, from the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration; a canceled check for $4,000 from the item's first owner; a 1976 newspaper clipping, with a short article about the Bicentennial Medal; a postcard from the A.R.B.A. acknowledging the original order for the piece; and a small paper insert containing further information about the medal and its design.<BR> This is a truly special item, in immaculate condition, and, compared to most of the commemorative issues from the U.S. Mint, it should be considered rare, based upon the minuscule number of pieces that were produced.