A third, long dormant rarity from the eastern collection. (See lots 54 and 59). Light grey, with hairlined surfaces, obverse and reverse. Hints of luster in star crevices are consistent with significant feather detail in the eagle’s wings. Liberty’s central curls are blunt, as usual – a victim of the “sprung” or “warped” die that turned most of this noted rarity into “rockers.” Without the cleaning, this is a 5-figure coin. The culprit, however, may deserve forgiveness. By reducing its value he also expanded the number of suitors eligible for the chase. Is it time to complete your set of 1812’s? Walter Breen mistakenly claimed to have discovered this charismatic variety in December 1969, while cataloguing a New Netherlands Coin Co. mail bid sale (lot 817). Stack’s, however, had given passing mention to an 1812/1 with large 8 in its Oct. 19, 1940 sale of the A.C. Gies Collection. The unnumbered lot simply noted, “1812 G.3 over 11, but large 8 in date. Very fine.” Gies was then the oldest living collector of US coins, He began collecting in 1867. His collection focused on half-dollars. He updated Haseltine’s Type Table with his own numbering system. The coin brought $1.20, the same as other “common” varieties of the year. Est. $3,500 to $5,000.
Auction Ended
High Bid
Maximum Bid
Total Price
$3,700
Reserve met
$3,700
$4,070
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Sheridan Downey, Numismatist 4400 Keller Ave.,
Suite 140, PMB 398 Oakland, California 94605 sdowney3@aol.com (510) 479-1585
