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MS68 $2-1/2 CAL
savitale
Posts: 1,406 ✭✭✭✭✭
I don't collect gold, but this one stopped me in my tracks. Wow. Courtesy Heritage.
25
savitale
Posts: 1,406 ✭✭✭✭✭
savitale
Posts: 1,406 ✭✭✭✭✭
savitale
Posts: 1,406 ✭✭✭✭✭
Comments
Ummmmmmm . . . . . .is that for real or is that CGI ?????
I could stare at that for hours . . . .every minute.
Drunner
Sybarite coin. Man that IS lovely.
I saw that coin years ago, and it is totally off the charts!
I thought it must be a fake when I first saw it. I had no reference for this anomaly. My eyes aren’t worthy
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Agree. It was the one coin that caught my attention as well.
The CAL coins have something in common with the “restrikes” that were made from the gold rush shipwreck salvage bars. Both have the allure of knowing they were minted from California Gold Rush metal.
Separately there is the mystique about just who is responsible for “designing/engraving” the CAL that is on the 2 1/2 dollar coins. Supporting Longacre as the designer/engraver is the fact that Longacre’s estate had several proof like examples suggesting that he retained several of the first strikes because of his personal attachment.
Similarly a proof like $20 1850 coin from Longacre’s Estate also appears to have been a first strike which he retained given his having designed that coin.
In the auction catalogue for the Longacre Estate sale both the 2 1/2 CAL coins and the 1850 $20 were described as Proofs.
(As a side note, my specimen is attributed to Green and has been traced back to be the same $20 1850 coin from Longacre’s Estate as subsequent to the Longacre Estate Sale having been described and sold in a Max Mehl auction).
It would not surprise me to learn that the subject 2 1/2 CAL also originated from the special specimens that Longacre had personally retained.
Per HA: It sold in for $402k in January of 2006--and then sold for $345k in January of 2008.
That'd kind of suck, huh?
--Severian the Lame
The prevailing theory is that "CAL." was not "engraved" but rather punched into the reverse, with the obverse in the die, so that the obverse was not damaged.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/liberty-quarter-eagles/1848-2-1-2-cal-ms68-and-9733-ngc/a/454-3091.s
Holy cow! Should that not get a PL designation as well??
Thaz my dream coin, only 3 others would I want as much as this one.
Best, SH
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Wow. What a beautiful coin.
The gold for this coin originally came from my property. I own 40 acres on the American River exactly one mile from Sutter’s Mill.
I want it back!
Nice coin!
For my money, I’d rather go for many of the private issue pioneer gold vs. the 1848 CAL. The numbers extant are often much lower yet the prices are not always higher. I also love that many have “San Francisco” labeled right there on the coin. I’m a local.
On the other hand, the 1848 date is about as early as it gets for California gold rush stuff, and how often did the mint punch letters into officially minted coins? They’re very neat, I just find it hard to justify the prices given what else you can find in this general area of collecting. I guess it comes down to greater overall interest, and thus demand for the CAL.
@OriginalDan
That's a beauty! These issues are way out of my range, though.
Cheers
Bob
I had one. CAC didn't like it. XF45.
Sold it. I scratched the itch with a Moffat $5.
That is one incredibly beautiful gold coin.... Amazing how it 'glows' like that... Cheers, RickO
Looks like a million dollar coin to me. Other than its small size, what more could you want?
That's a beauty! I love the color!
My YouTube Channel
that's a wonderful coin to own, id love it in cy collection
Your 2 1/2 CAL was lovely.
That's especially remarkable considering the fact that these coins were 'extra-handled' in getting that 'CAL' on there.....
Awesome! One of my dream coins!
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 448
Miners Bank issues are bad ass. No date is a drawback but......cool never the less
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
CAC saw it as ...at best... A..... "C" .......in the world of CALs.
Disappointing but educational.
Looks nice to me. CAC is funny about color on gold. Too bad that ruined it for you.
@topstuf said:
Were you provided any insight as to why it didn’t sticker? Looks really nice to me.
Topstuf
Since you sold the coin would it be possible for you to share some things about it that you found out after you bought it but didn't know before hand? And still protect the current owner. It looks like an all there coin in your photo.
Wish I could remember exact words, but he mentioned a ...small .... area on reverse.
I assumed the lighter area around CAL but am not sure.
In any event, it's tainted for me as I have very little faith in any unbeaned rarer coins in the future.
I could be wrong about that but don't think so.
What I "found out" that will never happen again is that I will always ask.
It should be of less importance now as I am slowing waaaaaay down on coins. None bought this year and none on a wish list either.
CAC being "funny" about color on gold creates ZERO confidence in my case.
But ......every.....coin I bought since either already has a sticker or they can "stick" it.
wow ... just wow !!!
Top 10 Cal Fractional Type Set
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Boy, and if there's something I've always liked on my gold, it's some color........
I love yours there Topper......
Top
I see the area. A little lighter than elsewhere on that coin. About 10 years ago I bought a much better date 21/2 & thought I did alright & it had a similar lightened area. Lusting looked at the coin in the slab at Long Beach & held the slab parallel with the ground & told me to now look at the lightened area With a certain lighting. Something I should have done before hand.
I sold the coin.
Tuition.
Unobtanium...
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Some of the obverse on this CAC $3 shows toning variance..
But wodda I know?
Ya move on hopefully a little wiser. ????????????
I am collecting the wrong stuff... day-um
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Well, if it's any consolation, I'm thinking LARGELY about switching to Hummels.
This is correct. We had one come through ANACS while I was there that was not properly seated in the obverse die when the reverse was counterstamped, and the date looked like it was machine doubled with some die polish from the die in and around the date area perfectly transferred to the doubling.
That is one bodacious coin!
I like that term, “toning variance.”
So what are the implications when toning variance is detected? Does it signal AT or is it just an eye appeal issue?
Any thoughts on how the CAL lettering itself was “ engraved” or “designed?” and by whom?
It is not as though The Mint” had a printers typeset on the shelf as newspapers once had before the digital age?
The same way that date gang punches were made back then. Take a small block of heat-softened (heated and then left to cool slowly) steel. Punch letter, letter, letter, period into it. Harden it by heating it and quenching it suddenly. Touch up by hand if needed. Take a wide enough rod, heat the end of it and pound the end into the incuse CAL. Touch up by hand if needed. Harden it and you have a usable gang punch.
Don't know if the Mint was making its own gang punches at the time or farming them out to a private firm, but the technique is the same either way.
I've seen plenty of heavily toned gold that have passed CAC, so I doubt it was the color they didn't like.
He was VERY non specific. It was "something" bothersome on the reverse. Apparently.
I'm not going to belabor it. It's no longer my coin and I'm glad of that.
What a marvelous and historical coin.
And then there is the other end of the spectrum. I am capable of liking both and all in between, though I've never yet owned one.
This one just sold at the Kagin's auction for $7,800.
.
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https://auctions.kagins.com/Love-Token-1848-CAL-2-50-Host-Coin-Early-ANACS-certificate-of-authenticity-Overall-About-Good-t_i35946336.
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Love Token. 1848 CAL. $2.50 Host Coin. Early ANACS certificate of authenticity. Overall About Good to Good
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"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
I wanted to give this a like, but can't make myself do it
Some may view the love token as the loss of a rare coin. but I see it like this.
If you found an 1848 quarter eagle love token had been handed down through your family, I would hope it had CAL. on the reverse when flipping it over rather than there be nothing. Of course if you saw the CAL. first and then flipped to the front I could understand the disappointment. It can be a matter of expectations based on where you start from.
Better that the low grades and problem coins still exist rather than having been melted and never known about. So I see it as a gain rather than a loss.
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
The coin sold for $300k last which is $100k less than what it sold for in 2006 and $45k less than what was realized in 2008.
Could it be than the economy (08' crisis and covid) is the explanation for both 2008 and now in 2020? Or, is it the coin or a bit of both. Many seasoned collectors and dealer have commented on the quality of the piece. Would be interesting to hear peoples thought?