Lot Number 29
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1827 Sq. Base 2 - O.123 R.4+ PCGS MS 63
Ex Elton Dosier, Gehring Prouty, Charles De Olden, Keith Davignon and Dr. Charles Link When Henry Hilgard and I exited the annual coin show at the Jack Tar Hotel in San Francisco circa 1987, we noticed that our companion, Elton Dosier, exhibited a wry smile. Elton, it seems, had plucked an unattributed 1827 half-dollar from the bourse case of an Oregon dealer. This is that coin, still the 2nd finest known example of a rare die pair (behind the gem Overton specimen). Thus began a chain of title akin to the 1927 Yankees’ Murderer’s Row. Among bust half collectors Koenig, Ruth, Gehrig, Meusel and Lazzeri are less notable than Dosier, Prouty, De Olden, Davignon and Link. Each of these 5 BHNC members is respected for his knowledge and for having assembled wonderful die variety collections. Each owned this coin, in the order shown. The most recent hand-off occurred during the August 2014 World’s Fair of Money in Chicago, Davignon to Link. Rumor is that a dry martini and $6,000 did the trick. Undisturbed, caky luster blankets the lightly toned surfaces of the coin. The rather soft obverse strike derives from prior use on the scarce 1827 O.121 and rare O.122. The surfaces are essentially faultless. Interested bidders should know that the coin sold for $4,235 in my August 2006 offering of the De Olden Collection. It was then in a PCGS MS 62 capsule.
Estimate: $5,000 and up
