Lot Number 3
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1809 XXX Edge? - O.108a R.4+ PCGS OGH XF 45 CAC
A condition rarity of the first order -- by all accounts the 3rd finest known of the die pair and possibly the finest known of the later die state. The lustrous, beautifully impressed Dosier-Prouty O.108, PCGS AU 53, is the best I’ve seen. NYC dealer Jim O’Donnell had that coin in his case at a 1985 Long Beach Show. I spotted it and immediately passed it to Elton Dosier. Elton died in 1997. Gehring Prouty added the coin to his incomparable collection. When I sold the Prouty collection in 2000 it went to a doyen of the BHNC where it remains today. Dr. Charles Link also owns an 1809 O.108 graded PCGS AU 53. It is plated on PCGS Coin Facts and is generally considered 2nd finest, behind the Dosier-Prouty coin. The coin offered here is the highest graded O.108a. It is softly lustrous throughout, with wholly original, near faultless surfaces. Antique grey toning contributes to its eye appeal. The recently applied CAC sticker was automatic. I’d venture an AU designation were the coin to be offered for grading today. This die pair comes with both XXX and III edges. Early die states generally have the III edge. Later examples, as here, usually have an XXX edge. The coin was encapsulated before PCGS recognized edge varieties and the holder does not allow us to see the edge. The consignor found this prize at New England coin show in 1994.
Estimate: $3,500 and up
