1821 B-1 Bust Quarter G-T-C : 200 Year Anniversary

1TwoBits

To get back on track with 200 year old Browning varieties again, we can take a look at the 1821 Browning 1 variety large size bust quarter for January of the new year.

The 1821 Browning 1 variety is considered somewhat scarce, particularly in higher grades. It is called an R-4 in the Rea/Peterson/Karoleff/Kovach book on bust quarters, and R-2 in the Tompkins book. The Tompkins book notes that the variety is available in all grades, but is particularly scarce in uncirculated grades. Also mentioned is that the obverse and reverse each have a dentil count of 123, while the edge reed count is 108.

The obverse and reverse both have interesting diagnostics to be found, depending on condition, and some of them are listed below.

The obverse die is also used for the 1821 B-2 and B-6.
There are die engraving lines between the 8 and 2 of the date.
The first 1 in the date is farther from the rim then the second.
There is a small spur or spike at the base of the bust off the ribbon and above the 8.
There is another small spur or spike at the back of the lower curls, across from star 12.

The reverse die is also used for the 1820 B-4 and 1821 B-3.
All of the T's in the legend are defective at the bottom right of the base.
Large 25 denomination with square base 2.
Die rust pits develop between the olive leaves and the 2 in the denomination.
The scroll area of PLU in PLURIBUS is weakly struck.

There are also a number of die stages die stages noted.

• Obverse and reverse perfect.
• Obverse die lapped, removing die lines between 8 and 2.
• Die crack from cheek to L in LIBERTY.
• Die crack heavier and extending to the rim right of star 7.

The example below is an early die state I originally purchased raw, and you can see the die lines between the 8 and 2. I submitted it to NGC after a while, and many years later crossed to PCGS. Feel free to guess the NGC and PCGS grades if you'd like, and comments are always welcome. If you have an 1821 B-1, please post a picture of it.

1TwoBits

pursuitofliberty

Nice write up, and drop dead gorgeous coin!

scubafuel

Very pretty coin! N62 to P62?

Eagleguy

Great write up. I have one but it isn't as nice as yours.

hchcoin

Beautiful coin. I have never owned that variety. I've had the B-3 and B-4 and still own a B-5. Large size bust quarters are just cool especially when they look like that.

lkeigwin

Lovely! Nice surfaces too. Yum.

MS62?
Lance.

ricko

I have no idea about those technical details, but that is a very nice bust quarter. Cheers, RickO

Pnies20

N63 to P62

Beautiful example

Batman23

A pretty nice quarter with just a bit of color but not too much. MS63?

1TwoBits

Everyone was right around the grade. It graded MS61 at NGC, and crossed at the same grade to PCGS. Thanks for not mentioning Liberty's nose job, which possibly kept it to 61? Thank you also for the pictures and comments.

1TwoBits

Baley

Very nice examples and awesome write-up.
Recent addition to my set:

Baley