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Gems are Still Out There

CharlotteDudeCharlotteDude Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭✭✭

Wanted to share a pretty cool story about this pair of exceptional quarter eagles I recently purchased from a fellow co-worker (an older gentleman) a couple months ago and had submitted to CACG at last month’s B’more Whitman show. My co-worker explained that his wife received them from her mother, who received them from her mother (wife’s grandmother), whose grandparents had purchased them directly from a Massachusetts bank to commemorate her birth year (1907) and again on her 1st birthday (1908), respectively. Both QEs had been sitting in the couple’s SDB for decades, and after doing some downsizing, decided to sell them. While I would’ve normally been skeptical about the whole background story, I was reassured when the co-worker pulled the coins out from their original boxes, looking the same as the day they were purchased from the bank back in 1907 & 1908.

Whenever someone contacts me about “old coins” they have to sell, I’ve learned to approach with caution as most turn out to be common wheat pennies, junk silver, or on the infrequent occasion that they’re actually old gold, exhibit significant wear, marks, and/or other processing problems, (or worse - are counterfeit) and certainly have no “history” to go with them. These two are the exception and in my opinion are examples of undiscovered gems “still out there, waiting to be found”.

The 1907 has screaming luster… a total bomb of orange-peel brilliance, exceptional for even CACG’s MS65 grade.


The 1908 exhibits a soft, original luster glow, as is typical of a freshly minted, incused Indian design, and is quite lovely for the CACG MS64 grade.


And let’s not forget the boxes… the green one has “Blackstone National Bank Uxbridge, Mass” stamped on the inside top cover. This bank served the Uxbridge community from the 1865 until at least 1935.

Got Crust....y gold?

Comments

  • sellitstoresellitstore Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 24, 2024 6:28AM

    This period (first decade of the 1900s) was the height of popularity for non collectors to obtain a small gold coin from the local bank to give to a newborn. Quarter eagles seem, by far, to be the most popular denomination, probably because of their affordability and lack of gold dollars available after 1900. Many coins were spent or mishandled but, yes, there are still some lucky gems out there.

    I really like the 1907. Outstanding luster.

    Collector and dealer in obsolete currency. Always buying all obsolete bank notes and scrip.
  • yspsalesyspsales Posts: 2,406 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Oh my...

    BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out

  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 12,143 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great finds in the wild!

  • pursuitoflibertypursuitofliberty Posts: 6,960 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Fantastic looking examples ... thanks for sharing the coins and the story @CharlotteDude


    “We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”

    Todd - BHNC #242
  • epcepc Posts: 240 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 24, 2024 8:09AM

    Excellent coins. My very first coin was a 1907 QE, not as nice as yours, but in a PCGS MS65 holder. It was given to me as a birth gift. But unlike most coin collectors, I'm not quite 117 years old...

    Collector of Liberty Seated Half Dimes, including die pairs and die states

  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 9,014 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Exciting acquisitions and the boxes are so cool. Peace Roy

    BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall, coinsarefun, MichaelDixon, NickPatton, ProfLiz, Twobitcollector,Jesbroken oih82w8, DCW

  • braddickbraddick Posts: 24,116 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You made our day with these beautiful coins.
    I'd love to catch @PeakRarities reaction when he opens this thread.

    peacockcoins

  • TomBTomB Posts: 21,330 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Fantastic coins and history!

    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

    image
  • NicNic Posts: 3,382 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Beautiful coins and great history. Any temptation to put them back in their original holders?

    Thank you for sharing.

  • TurtleCatTurtleCat Posts: 4,607 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great story! Lots of cool stuff has come to light in the last few years.

  • goldengolden Posts: 9,664 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Super story and very nice coins!

  • CopperindianCopperindian Posts: 1,581 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great looking coins & a great story to go with it! CONGRATULATIONS!

    “The thrill of the hunt never gets old”

    PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
    Copperindian

    Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
    Copperindian

  • Dave99BDave99B Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Amazing coins AND story! WOW!!!!!

    Dave

    Always looking for original, better date VF20-VF35 Barber quarters and halves, and a quality beer.
  • RobertScotLoverRobertScotLover Posts: 951 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great everything

  • erwindocerwindoc Posts: 5,119 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Awesome story! That 1907 is a luster bomb! Im still waiting for a find like this to show up at my office!

  • coinbufcoinbuf Posts: 11,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow! Fabulous coins and the backstory is also amazing; thanks for sharing these with us.

    My Lincoln Registry
    My Collection of Old Holders

    Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.

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