259

[L#0259] 1842 Small Date 25c PCGS PF65

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:60,000.00 USD Estimated At:100,000.00 - 200,000.00 USD
[L#0259] 1842 Small Date 25c PCGS PF65
A landmark rarity in American numismatics and one of only 5 specimens traced, this being the highest certified by a third-party grader. The brilliant surfaces exhibit delicate and lightly mottled gold on the obverse, while on the reverse, magenta and gold toning. Deep mirror fields. Exquisitely detailed in all areas. About on a par with the Norweb Collection coin sold in March 1988, the Eliasberg specimen of this famous date is from the holdings of Jerome David Kern, the American composer.

In 1842 a small number of Proofs, possibly fewer than 10 or 15, were struck for collectors, presentation to foreign personages, use by government officials, and so on. The Proof obverse die was prepared by using a very small date logotype, thus creating the Small Date." By contrast, dies used to strike business or regular production issues had the date in larger numerals. The 1842 Small Date quarter are believed to have been issued only as part of 1842 silver Proof sets (or, in another possibility, to fill requests for individual Proofs, but this is unlikely); no examples were made for general circulation or, so far as is known, for individual numismatic sale.

Presumably the 1842 Small Date obverse dies in the this and the half dollar series were made early in the year 1842, at which time it was thought that the logotype was too small, and the later business strikes, constituting the majority, were of the Large Date format. This would also explain the rarity of the 1842-O Small Date quarter and half dollar.

The registry of pieces known to exist includes the following: (1) ANA Specimen; (2) Smithsonian Specimen; (3) This Ex Eliasberg specimen; (4) Shilke Specimen; and (5) Stack specimen.

Even allowing for the specimens not accounted for in the preceding list, it is apparent that the population of the 1842 Small Date quarter ranks it as one of the greatest of all American classic silver rarities. The precise number known is not certain, but a reasonable estimate would be from the five pieces listed to seven, at least two of which are permanently impounded in museums. The coin as it now appears is in PCGS holder 50033476 with the proper labeling as being from the Eliasberg collection.