The Eliasberg 1893-S (ex Clapp-Eliasberg-Stellar-Sunnywood-Simpson):
The 1881-S in the OP was purchased by me from Ron Sirna in a PCGS MS68 holder for the then record sum of $25,000.
Ron did pretty well on the coin - I think he paid three grand in a PCGS MS67 holder !! He got it into the ANACS MS68 holder first, in which it was the star subject of a full-page color ad by ANACS in Coin World (showing off their then-new holders). Ron offered it to me in the PCGS MS67 holder for some serious dollars, but I told him I would only buy it when PCGS put it in an MS68 holder, which I knew it deserved. Still, I didn't need another stellar MS67 of that date, so in this case I waited until it was in the "right" holder. (Yeah I know, it's blasphemy, I should have bought the coin, not the holder etc). Once it was in the 68 holder, I then was sure it was the singel finest toned '81-S on the planet, and was willing to pay the crazy price. Since '80-S, '81-S, and '82-S are all so common, I wanted those dates to be represented by uncommonly MONSTER specimens. All three of those dates in the set are pretty amazing !!
Adrian's image of the '81-S is better than the PCGS True View. I have even better digital images from Ron, but they are too large to upload. In hand, the coin is simply mesmerizing.
I'll be getting my archive of images from Brandon soon, so, I'll have Brandon's ever stellar images of it.....I remember him and maybe even us shooting that coin.
Comments
The Norweb 1893-S before it was dipped:
The Vermeule 1893-S:
The Eliasberg 1893-S (ex Clapp-Eliasberg-Stellar-Sunnywood-Simpson):
The 1881-S in the OP was purchased by me from Ron Sirna in a PCGS MS68 holder for the then record sum of $25,000.
Ron did pretty well on the coin - I think he paid three grand in a PCGS MS67 holder !! He got it into the ANACS MS68 holder first, in which it was the star subject of a full-page color ad by ANACS in Coin World (showing off their then-new holders). Ron offered it to me in the PCGS MS67 holder for some serious dollars, but I told him I would only buy it when PCGS put it in an MS68 holder, which I knew it deserved. Still, I didn't need another stellar MS67 of that date, so in this case I waited until it was in the "right" holder. (Yeah I know, it's blasphemy, I should have bought the coin, not the holder etc). Once it was in the 68 holder, I then was sure it was the singel finest toned '81-S on the planet, and was willing to pay the crazy price. Since '80-S, '81-S, and '82-S are all so common, I wanted those dates to be represented by uncommonly MONSTER specimens. All three of those dates in the set are pretty amazing !!
Adrian's image of the '81-S is better than the PCGS True View. I have even better digital images from Ron, but they are too large to upload. In hand, the coin is simply mesmerizing.
All the best,
Sunnywood
Sunnywood's Rainbow-Toned Morgans (Retired)
Sunnywood's Barber Quarters (Retired)