1820 B-1 Bust Quarter G-T-C : 200 Year Anniversary

1TwoBits · January 4, 2020 1:54PM

To get back on track with 200 year old Browning varieties again, lets take a look at the 1820 Browning 1 variety large size bust quarter for January. PCGS designates this as a Large 0 variety

The 1820 Browning 1 variety is somewhat scarce, and seldom seen. It is called an R-5- in the Rea/Peterson/Karoleff/Kovach book on bust quarters, and R-4 in the Tompkins book. There aren't many die stages noted. Obverse and reverse perfect, and then a late state reverse with a die chip in the 2 of "25C." Several proofs are known of this variety, with only a few mint state coins noted in the Census.

The 1820 B-1 below was in an old white ANACS holder when I originally purchased it, but it did get crossed. Feel free to guess the ANACS and PCGS grades if you'd like, and comments are always welcome. If you have an 1820 B-1, please post a picture of it.

1TwoBits

Smudge · January 4, 2020 4:15PM

A58. P55.

TurtleCat · January 4, 2020 4:18PM

AU55 with ANACS and AU58 with PCGS

NSP · January 4, 2020 9:07PM

This thread was a welcome surprise! it feels like just yesterday when the last one of these went up, but there hasn’t been one of these since last April. Unfortunately I won’t be able to participate till March and May.

I’ll wager a guess of AU55 for both, though it’s a very nice coin regardless of grade! I’m skeptical of this die marriage being R4 or R5, since it tends to be the most available of the five 1820 die marriages on internet platforms (in my experience). I personally think it’s in the R2 or R3 range. Maybe it’s just scarcer in higher grades?

Unknown · January 4, 2020 9:09PM

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Barndog · January 4, 2020 9:28PM

If they grade it like I grade half dimes, that's a 55

Pnies20 · January 4, 2020 9:38PM

It’s beautiful. It’s tough to tell from the pic if it is friction or toning on some points but I’d say on a conservative day it’s a 55.

hchcoin · January 4, 2020 10:05PM

My avatar is an 1820 B-1. Great coin. I love when bust quarters get a little love on the forum. Thanks for sharing. I would have to agree with @NSP that R-5 is a little generous on this die marriage.

Baley · January 4, 2020 11:50PM

Very nice 1820 B-1, I'll guess ANACS AU57, PCGS AU56.

here's my example

scubafuel · January 5, 2020 6:44AM

This is one of those die varieties that should have 2 ratings: “all coins” and “decent looking”. The all Coins rating could stay at R3 and I’d place the “decent looking” rating at high R4-low R5.
That’s the fun of bust quarter varieties. They’re pretty accessible in terms of rarity until you try to find nice ones, at any grade level!

Baley · January 5, 2020 2:11PM

Actually, I'd think one would have to Net those little scratches and other marks a little more, better change my guess to anacs 54 and pcgs 52. Those are more likely imo 😂

1TwoBits · January 5, 2020 9:26PM

@Baley , you had it nailed the first time.

@Smudge is also right on, with everyone else pretty much in the grade. ANACS AU58, PCGS AU55. The coin has nice luster remaining under the old toning.

I agree that it's more difficult in higher grades. Thanks for posting....

1TwoBits

Cougar1978 · January 5, 2020 9:54PM

A61 P60

Desert Moon · January 6, 2020 3:31AM

58 or 62 depending on how it looks in hand and the graders mood...

Baley · January 6, 2020 8:50AM

@1TwoBits said:
@Baley , you had it nailed the first time.

1TwoBits

Ah, should go with first impressions! Second guessed myself because I usually come in too high on your eye appealing coins!

Nice AU 56.5 you have there 😉

NSP · December 6, 2020 3:11PM

I recognize that I’m bumping an older thread, but it’s still 2020 so I’ll go for it. This 1820 B-1 arrived this weekend, and it looks very nice and original in hand. It’s graded G6 by PCGS.

I’m still not convinced that this one’s an R4, since I counted 12 of them on eBay yesterday (out of 46 1820 quarters total), though most of those 12 weren’t the nicest looking.

scubafuel · December 6, 2020 3:38PM

Nice pickup! I like the look of that one a lot. Properly graded but premium for the grade.

I think you hit the nail on the head with your comments regarding rarity. 1820 B1 is a solid R4 if you count "coins that someone might want in their collection" but is probably more like R3 if the criteria is "does it technically exist?"

This is the case for many varieties in the bust quarter series. ID love for the census to have a "straight-grade" rarity column someday. There are so many cleaned, scratched etc.

pursuitofliberty · December 6, 2020 4:41PM

Gorgeous example! Not sure what it was or what it is in terms of plastic ... but it sure looks like a 56 and 3/8ths to me!

Oh, wow, this is an old thread and the grade is shown. Oh well, still a gorgeous example.

rec78 · December 7, 2020 4:40AM

There's something about these early U. S. coins that is very attractive, even in lower grades. Thanks for posting this.

1TwoBits · December 7, 2020 5:42PM

Very nice original look for the grade @NSP , I like it too.

1TwoBits

Desert Moon · December 7, 2020 7:15PM

Here is my B1. I agree with the Rea et al. rank that this as an R5-. Rea et al. did a systematic condition census, I am not sure where Tompkins numbers come from. R3? That would mean possibly several 100s in all degrees of degradation. Hmm........

Best, SH

NSP · December 8, 2020 5:51PM

The fact that there are 12 currently listed on eBay tells me that there’s no way (in my opinion) that B-1 is R5-, since it would mean that 1/5 to 1/6 of the entire population is currently available for purchase on one website right now.

Granted, most of the 12 are very low grade, cleaned, scratched, damaged, etc. Therefore, B-1 might be R5- in “nice condition,” (i.e., problem free VF and above), but I strongly doubt that it’s R5- overall.

For reference, here are links to the listings (to demonstrate that I’m not exaggerating for effect):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-BUST-QUARTER-ICG-AU58-DETAILS-CLEANED-US-COIN-LOT-644/293687981841?hash=item44612af711:g:WY0AAOSwj5xfNFZq

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-LARGE-0-25c-ICG-EF-45-DETAILS-TOUGH-CAPPED-BUST-QUARTER/233252639433?hash=item364ef0d2c9:g:lnAAAOSwRRJc0kDm

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-Capped-Bust-Quarter-NGC-G-4-Large-O-B-1-R-4/224206033654?hash=item3433b892f6:g:6wwAAOSwxdVfku75

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-Capped-Bust-Quarter-CHOICE-FINE-FREE-SHIPPING-E279-ACHX/133457803446?hash=item1f12b478b6:g:mcMAAOSw15lfAimM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-Liberty-Cap-Quarter-original-F-light-obverse-scratch/263165488185?hash=item3d45e2ac39:g:MrEAAOSwhLJZnz0G

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-Capped-Bust-Quarter-Very-Good/143867095062?hash=item217f25a816:g:OSkAAOSw1A1fxG2B

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-Bust-Quarter-VG-Uncertified/362737936424?hash=item5474dda828:g:y1kAAOSwE4hdu0nF

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-Bust-Quarter-WZ71/203130586232?hash=item2f4b86c478:g:8RcAAOSw4ThdGiji

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-Bust-Quarter-Early-Date/402586180052?hash=item5dbc0199d4:g:Y1wAAOSw4wZd2HtV

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-O-Capped-Bust-25c-Large-O-SILVER/114552284443?hash=item1aabd9251b:g:xSoAAOSwudRfuWdl

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1820-Capped-Bust-Silver-Quarter-Dollar-Coin-Good-Large-O-Obverse/393022642940?hash=item5b81f99afc:g:GVgAAOSwUepftcv0