The countdown continues in D.L. Hansen’s Major Varieties Collection. I will provide an update for a pair of very nice 1830 Cap Bust Half Eagles as it pertains to the Early $5 Gold with Major Varieties & 1797 Large Eagles, Circulation Strikes (1795-1838) set. I have seen some weird set requirements, but I think this may qualify as the strangest. I hinted to you a few weeks ago that according to PCGS requirements this set needed 77 coins. According to my count, the set requires only 75. If you don’t remember, the updates by Mr. Hansen have been fast and furious, so I can understand how you many have missed the statement. Well, let me try to explain. There are only two varieties 1830 Cap Bust Half Eagles. One is the “Small 5D”, and the other is the “Large 5D”. There are no others! Period! According to PCGS set registry, the set requires a basic coin, AND one each of the small and large varieties. In other words, three coins, instead of two! The basic coin will always be a duplicate of one of the two varieties. This situation exists for both the 1830 and 1831 Half Eagle dates. I never recall seeing anything like this in any of the other sets before.
Well, the way Mr. Hansen handled this unique issue; he just purchased the two varieties, and has a duplicate from prior purchase as good measure. He is known to have duplicates, so I guess it is not a big deal to have a couple six figure duplicates to fill all the slots in the set. As you see in the screenshot above, he is not showing a coin for the “Large 5D” variety. He purchased one in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction of The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. The coin is an 1830 $5 Large 5D, BD-1, MS63 PCGS, CAC Approved specimen. The coin is not updated in the set because Mr. Hansen will need to send the coin to PCGS for BD-1 Variety Attribution. He also purchased an 1830 $5 Small 5D, BD-2, MS64 PCGS that is in a BD-2 holder. With the two new coins added and the existing MS63 PCGS #8152, #06719013, he has a complete set for the 1830 Half Eagle trio. The existing coin is from Heritage’s 2017 FUN U.S. Coins Signature Auction in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The coin realized $111,625. The coin is a “Small 5D, BD-2”, from The Hutchinson Collection. In reality, this set will contain two “Small 5D, BD-2” specimens.
Bass-Dannreuther 1. 1830 Large 5D
1830 Half Eagle Large 5D, BD-1, MS63 PCGS. CAC Approved, from the McCoy Collection
The number of known specimens is 25 to 30 specimens according to John W. Dannreuther. Expert David Akers describes the coin as: The Large 5D variety is considerably more rare than the Small 5D variety. It has appeared only two-thirds as often at auction as the Small 5D variety and this ratio is a fairly accurate indicator of the relative rarity of the two varieties. My estimate of the number of existing specimens would be in the neighborhood of 30-35 pieces, most of them in the EF-AU range. Mint state examples are rare and choice or gem quality specimens are extremely rare.
Mr. Pogue had a MS66 specimen that sold for $305,500 in 2016. There are two other coins finer than the new Hansen MS63, a PCGS graded MS65, and MS64. The POP for the Hansen coin is 4/3. In the August 2020 Heritage sale, the auctioneer stated: Most of the surviving 1830 Large D half eagles show light handling or even some circulation and the BD-1 variety is rare in Uncirculated with no more than six to eight examples known in Uncirculated. In MS63 pieces are very rare, and there are maybe three pieces finer with the best being the lovely PCGS MS66 which sold for $305,500 in Pogue IV, lot 4038, in 2016. This coin is the only PCGS MS63 1830 Large D half eagle that has sold at auction since 2002. In January 2017, Heritage sold a PCGS/CAC MS63 example of the Small D variety for $111,625.
Provenance: Hutchinson Collection / FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2000), lot 7524, where it brought $33,925; Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2017), lot 4259, where it sold for $123,375; Douglas Winter Numismatics; The McCoy Family Collection / US Coins Signature Auction, (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 4002, realized $108,000; The D.L. Hansen Collection.
1830 Half Eagle Small 5D, BD-2, MS64 PCGS, from the McCoy Collection
The number of known specimens is 30 to 40 specimens according to John W. Dannreuther. Expert David Akers describes the coin as: All dates of this short-lived type are very rare and the 1830 Small 5D is no exception. Most known specimens are in the EF to AU range and strictly uncirculated examples are very rare. The 1830 Small 5D is of approximately the same rarity overall as the 1831 (with both varieties combined) and the 1834 Motto, Plain 4, and is more rare than the 1833, the most common date of the type. I would estimate that perhaps 40-50 specimens are known.
The only PCGS coin with “BD-2 Small 50D “Variety Attribution that is graded finer than the Hansen/McCoy MS64 is the Pogue MS64+ specimen that sold for $152,750 in 2016. The Hansen/McCoy may be the second finest; although there could be a couple base coins that may be of higher grade. The POP for the Hansen coin is 1/1. In the August 2020 Heritage sale, the auctioneer stated: This is the more available of the two varieties of 1830 half eagle but the Small D is still a rarity with an estimated 30 to 40 pieces known. The majority of the survivors show some degree of handling or wear and fewer than half of those remaining are Uncirculated. As one would expect, an MS64 is high in the Condition Census and the only piece graded higher.
This Heritage Auctioneer described the coin as: This is one of the very few 1830 Small D half eagles that can be called "original" and it has lovely natural medium green-gold color with reddish-gold and orange outlining many of the stars. The strike is mostly sharp save for weakness on the radial lines and at the inner right side of the eagle. The mint luster is brightly frosted. Some marks are noted in the middle of the right obverse field but these are in keeping with the assigned grade. The overall appearance is excellent with a "glow" unique to this type. The coin does have a nice glow, would you agree?
As stated in the sale: This lovely coin has been off the market for 15 years and it gives the specialized or type collector the opportunity to own an 1830 Small D half eagle that is high in the Condition Census for the date and for the variety. The coin realized $126,000. Total investment in the Hansen 1830 trio is $108,000 for the McCoy “Large 5D”, $126,000 for McCoy “Small D”, and $111,625 for the duplicate base coin purchased in 2017. To fill the three slots, Mr. Hansen has $345,625 invested.
Provenance: A Gentleman's Collection (American Numismatic Rarities, 6/2005), lot 1013, where it realized $120,705; The McCoy Family Collection / US Coins Signature Auction, (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 4003, realized $126,000; The D.L. Hansen Collection.
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. The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 31 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1831 Half Eagle "Large 5D" (Survival est. 22 all varieties w/ 1 Mint State)
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1831 Half Eagle "Small 5D" (Survival est. 22 all varieties w/ 3 Mint State)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1793 Chain Large Cent "Periods" (118 PCGS Certified w/ 3 Mint State)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
Last 11
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
1833 Half Eagle "Large Date" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1834 Half Eagle "Capped Bust, Plain 4" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
Currin the 1834 “Capped Bust Plain 4 “ is now in the Collection If my understanding is right that would make it number 29 on your countdown. It did not enter the set until recently and I think it is now visible for your study. Let me know if you need more information. Your countdown does create a challenge and I do think I will be able to add one more this week.
@DLHansen said:
Currin the 1834 “Capped Bust Plain 4 “ is now in the Collection If my understanding is right that would make it number 29 on your countdown. It did not enter the set until recently and I think it is now visible for your study. Let me know if you need more information. Your countdown does create a challenge and I do think I will be able to add one more this week.
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Thanks Mr. Hansen. It has been exciting to watch all the new additions in the Large Cent and Early Half Eagle sets. Great progress.. I hope you can get the coins in correct holders so you can finish the updates. It is nice to hear that one more is coming later this week.
I explained a couple days ago the dilemma with the Early $5 Gold with Major Varieties & 1797 Large Eagles, Circulation Strikes (1795-1838) set. If you recall, the registry set requires three coins for 1830 & 1831 dates, and in reality, there are only two varieties for this date. I will not bore you with the details again, but if you need a refresher, review the 1830 Half Eagle posting from two days ago. Very same situation.
According to PCGS set registry, the set requires a basic coin, AND one each of the Small and Large 5D varieties. In other words, three coins, instead of two! The basic coin will always be a duplicate of one of the two varieties. This situation exists for both the 1830 and 1831 Half Eagle dates. As with the 1830 date, Mr. Hansen purchased the two varieties, and has a duplicate prior purchase as good measure.
Upgraded Basic Coin
1831 $5 Unattributed BD-2, MS64 PCGS, CAC Approved, from the McCoy Collection
In the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction of The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles, Mr. Hansen purchased the 1831 $5 Large 5D, BD-2, MS64 PCGS, CAC Approved specimen. This coin is in a PCGS #8153 Basic 1831 holder. The coin is graded PCGS POP 1/0, and as you can see above, the 1831 slot has this POP 1/0 coin with all the bonus points. This coin sold in prior Heritage 2017 FUN US Coins Signature Auction in Fort Lauderdale, FLA. In the 2017 sale, the coin’s variety attribution was given as “Small Diameter, Large 5D, BD-2 Variety”. The coin is not in a holder that matches the attribution; in both the 2017 and recent 2020 sale, the coin is a basic PCGS #8153.
Coin is described in the 2017 Heritage listing as: The present coin is a delightful Choice specimen, with vivid orange-gold surfaces that show only minor signs of contact. The design elements are sharply detailed in most areas, but the reverse shows some loss of detail on the shield stripes, arrow fletchings, and eagle's claws, due to lapping. There is a faint die crack through the lower point of star 5 on the obverse, and a more advanced crack from OF, through the wingtip, and the letters in AMERIC on the reverse. Vibrant satiny mint luster radiates from both sides, with hints of prooflike reflectivity in selected areas. Overall eye appeal is terrific. This remarkable coin was last publicly offered 26 years ago. It will be a welcome addition to a fine collection of early gold die varieties. The updated 2020 Heritage is: The present coin is a delightful Choice specimen that exhibits the "glow" seen on certain high quality, original gold coins from this era. It is well struck for the issue with almost no weakness in the centers or on the stars, and both sides display dazzling, unbroken mint frost. There are just enough shallow marks to remove this lovely piece from Gem classification, but it has the strongest eye appeal of any of the 1830s half eagles in the remarkable McCoy Family Collection. This would be a perfect coin for the type collector who seeks a single Capped Head Left reduced diameter half eagle. CAC has approved this single coin in MS64 with none finer.
The coin realized $216,000. When sold in 2017, the coin realized $211,500, the value has maintained price consistency. Mr. Hansen needs to send one of his two BD-2 coins to PCGS for variety attribution. I would recommend for him to leave this PCGS POP 1/0 alone, and send his other PCGS #8153 in for consideration. We will talk little more about that coin later.
Provenance: L.A. Collection of U.S. Type Coins; 55th Anniversary Collection (Stack's, 10/1990), lot 1682; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2017), lot 5880, where it brought $211,500; Douglas Winter Numismatics; The McCoy Family Collection / US Coins Signature Auction, (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 4005, realized $216,000; The D.L. Hansen Collection.
1831 $5 Small 5D, BD-1, MS61 PCGS, from the McCoy Collection
The number of known specimens is 14 to 18 specimens according to John W. Dannreuther. Expert David Akers describes the coin as: The relative rarity of the two varieties of the 1831 is exactly reversed from the 1830. With the 1831, the Small 5D is much more rare than the Large 5D. Almost all 1831 Half Eagles I have seen were the Large 5D variety and I would say that the Small 5D variety is 3-4 times as rare as the Large 5D variety and also more rare than the 1830 Large 5D, the 1834 Crosslet 4, or even the 1832 Square Base 2, 13 Stars.
According to the PCGS POP report and the Condition Census report, presently there are only two PCGS certified coins carrying this variety attribution. One the new Hansen/McCoy MS61 and the other Eliasberg/Pogue MS67 PCGS graded superstar. The coin realized $646,250 in the 2016 Pogue sale. There may be other “Small 5D, BD-1” coins in the basic holder. The Harry Bass Foundation has an example, but his is not that that impressive. This 1831 half eagle with Small 5D reverse is from the same coinage die as HBCC-3157. A very small percentage of the 140,594-coin mintage survives, with very few of those in higher quality. The quoted mintage figure includes examples of both varieties, including HBCC-3159. Clearly less than 200 examples of both varieties survive. This example is from the Gilhousen Collection and was acquired by Harry Bass from the 1973 auction of that collection. Unfortunately, the reverse has been repaired. In the John W. Dannreuther reference book, he stated, Oddly, both coin in the Smithsonian Institution are of this variety (Small 5D), while the more readily available variety is not represented in that Museum.
The Hansen coin realized $114,000 in the Heritage August 2020 sale. I think as the rarity of this MS61 specimen is better understood, the value could swing either way.
Provenance: Sold by Howard Newlin to T. Harrison Garrett on April 28, 1883; Johns Hopkins University; Garrett Collection, Part I (Bowers and Ruddy, 11/1979), lot 474; Abner Kreisberg Corporation sale to The Beverly Hills Collection, January 18, 1980, for $19,500; Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 2/2005), lot 7789, where it brought $55,200; Donald Bently Collection / FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2014), lot 5436, where it sold for $82,250; The McCoy Family Collection / US Coins Signature Auction, (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 4004, realized $114,000; The D.L. Hansen Collection.
The number of known specimens is 22 to 30 specimens according to John W. Dannreuther. According to the PCGS POP report and the Condition Census report, presently there are only one PCGS certified coin carrying this variety attribution, the lone example is the Kaufman/Pogue MS65+ PCGS GEM. The coin realized $235,000 in the 2016 Pogue sale. The Harry Bass Foundation is said to have one of finest example known: This example with large denomination on the reverse is from the identical die used to produce the 1830 coinage as displayed at HBCC-3156. Only a small number of survivors exist, perhaps in the range of 30 to 35, including two Proofs. This Bass Collection coin is one of the finest circulation strikes known. This design type is essentially the same design created by John Reich in 1813. William Kneass made minor modifications to the design during the period from 1828 to 1834.
As stated, Hansen purchased the 1831 $5 Unattributed BD-2, MS64 PCGS, CAC Approved specimen from the McCoy Collection. Also, Mr. Hansen has an existing 1831 Unattributed BD-2, MS61 POP 2/3, Specimen #34246760. I have no history when coin was purchased, so I think it has been in the collection for several years. As stated, I would suggest that Mr. Hansen send this MS61 coin in for variety attribution and leave the POP 1/0 specimen as is. It is nice to have choices, and certainly Mr. Hansen does. Either case, he will have the second certified BD-2, POP 1/1. Total investment in the Hansen 1831 trio is $114,000 for the McCoy “Large 5D”, $220,000 for McCoy “Small D”, and the duplicate base coin is valued at $97,500. To fill the three slots, Mr. Hansen has $431,500 invested.
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. The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 29 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1793 Chain Large Cent "Periods" (118 PCGS Certified w/ 3 Mint State)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
Last 9
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
1833 Half Eagle "Large Date" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1834 Half Eagle "Capped Bust, Plain 4" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
We will take a short break from the Large Cent brownies and the golden Early Eagles and look at some red coins. If you are a lover of red coins, then you should love this update. We talked a few days ago about the significance that I feel the proofs will play in the historical greatest of the D.L. Hansen Collection. If true, then upgrades like this is a small indication of what to come.
As you may know, one of my passions is studying the great collectors from the past. One of my favorite is William Cutter Atwater. He almost completed set of US issues from 1792 to 1920. B. Max Mehl is quoted in saying “only three of four exceptions”. I think it was a few more than that. Unlike what Hansen is doing today, in Atwater’s day, many of the US issues were of no or little significance or importance. In the back section of his 1946 Catalog; Part IV section is called “Minor Coins”. It contained small cents from 1856, two cents, nickel three cents and five cent pieces. A “choice” Flying Eagle Cent realized $165.00. The next most valuable coin from this section was the rare 1877 nickel in “beautiful perfect proof” that soared to $77.50. To get to the point, he sold his 10-piece two-cent bronze proofs in separate lots. The range realized for the coins was from 85c to $24.50. The latter is the “Scarce” 1871, brilliant proof. Total realized for the 10 coins was $60.10! I don’t think Atwater had the 1864 Small Motto proof specimen in his collection. Just in comparison, that coin alone is six figures for a top grade specimen. I think one of the driver for the way these coins are now viewed and valued is a direct result of the registry era.
With that said, PCGS describes the present day registry set as: This set is sometimes put together with ten coins (one of each date), eleven coins (both varieties of the 1873) or twelve coins (including the EXPENSIVE and rare 1864 Small Motto). Any one of the three ways makes for a great set. In addition, the set can be assembled in Brown, Red & Brown or Red. The more color you seek, the rarer the coin and the greater the price. The Hansen Collection has three of these proof sets including two with the EXPENSIVE and rare 1864 Small Motto. He has a brown and red example. To go for a trio, he would need a RB specimen.
This is the leaderboard for the Shield Two Cents with Major Varieties, Proof (1864-1873) set. This is the 12 piece set. Mr. Hansen replaced six coins in his set on 8/13 and jumped from fourth place to first! He purchased six of the top coins from “at that time” number one set, The Prestwick Collection. This is a specialty collector that only had the two-cent proof sets listed in the registry. He wrote this about his set: The Prestwick Collection is a full set of proof 2c pieces. The set current contains 6 pieces graded PR 66 RD CA or better, including the finest know 1871 piece in PR 67 RD CA.
Mr. Hansen added two of the finest PCGS certified Pop 1/0 specimens, 1867 and 1871. He added these coins with two previous PCGS certified Pop 1/0 specimens, 1866 and 1873 Closed 3. Also, he added one tied for finest, 1864 Large Motto POP 4/0, with three other PCGS specimens. Previously he had one other tied for finest, 1873 Open 3. Six out of the twelve coins are the finest or tied for the finest. As stated, he jumped over not only the newly retired Prestwick Collection, also two Simpson sets! One was retired in 2014, and I am guessing we will be seeing the other one retire soon. The coin that I will feature is not one of the POP 1/0 upgrades rather the rare 1864 Small Motto PR 66RD, POP 1/ 2. Before a couple day’s age, I did not realize a six figure two-cent coin actually existed.
1864 Small Motto Two Cent Piece, PR66 Red, Sole Finest Certified Example (Heritage 6/2014)
The PCGS value guide list this coin for $120,000. The overall POP given in the set confuses me a little. It indicates POP 1/0, and 1/ 2 overall (see above). The PCGS POP reports clearly shows the finest certified for 1864 2C Small Motto is a lone PR66RD. So, what is going on with the set, I have no clue.
The coin has appeared in auction three times since 2000. First on a Superior Auction is 2000, then the Heritage 2014 sale of The Eugene H. Gardner Collection. The coin realized $105,750. This fall short of the record paid for a PR65RB CAC, in a 2014 Stack's Bowers Auction. The Auction Record is $112,125. The last public appearance for the new Hansen coin was 2015 Heritage where the coin realized $94,000. Amazing.
In the last auction, the coin was described as: The present coin is the single-finest Small Motto proof certified with the Red designation. Housed in a green label holder, this specimen exhibits rich golden-red color throughout. The strike is exacting, producing a strong degree of design definition, with the shield in particular displaying outstanding details. The well-preserved surfaces are brightly reflective, further adding to the visual appeal. This coin should find a home in the finest collection or Registry Set.
This amazing 1864 2C Small Motto (which I think to be a POP 1/0 coin) and the other five upgrades are great additions to Mr. Hansen’s proof set. It very interesting to watch all the work taking place with the the Early Half Eagles, the Hansen team shifted gears on a dime (or two-cent) and pick these great coins for “Minor US Issues” sets . They are not minor anymore. The Registry has changed that. I think maybe forever.
Provenance: Pre-Long Beach Auction (Superior 10/2000), lot #4165, realized $74,759; Eugene H. Gardner Collection (Heritage 6/2014) lot #30105, realized $105,750; FUN US Coins Signature Auction (Heritage 1/2015), lot #1216, realized $94,000; Prestwick Collection (PCGS Registry) private sale 8/2020, D.L. Hansen Collection
1864 Two-Cent, Small Motto, PR66RD POP 1/0, Overall 1/2? Certification #02575127, PCGS #3626 PCCS Value Guide: $120,000 / Unknown, purchased in six coin group
1864 Two-Cent, Small Motto, PR66RD POP 1/0, Overall 1/2?, Ex: Gardner, Prestwick Certification #02575127, PCGS #3626 PCCS Value Guide: $120,000 / Unknown, purchased in six coin group
The 1853-D medium D $5 doesn’t exist and are just misattributed large D’s. Winter evens notes as much in his recent book.
The 1840-D Small D does exist. I cherry picked one off of eBay in an N40 holder ten years ago. Very easy to identify with a bisecting die crack through the mintmark.
Thank you for posting Doug Winter's latest reference on the (no longer thought to exist) 1853-D Medium D.
It looks like this has been partially but not completely removed from the PCGS database.
I posted it to the 1853-D thread: https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/12690253/#Comment_12690253
@Boosibri said:
The 1853-D medium D $5 doesn’t exist and are just misattributed large D’s. Winter evens notes as much in his recent book.
The 1840-D Small D does exist. I cherry picked one off of eBay in an N40 holder ten years ago. Very easy to identify with a bisecting die crack through the mintmark.
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Interesting information..
Thanks for info Boosibri and yosclimber. This is a very interesting controversy. I have been following for the past few weeks. Being this is a Major Variety countdown coin, I am planning to do an update on the coin (9/1, I think). It is interesting how Mr. Hansen and his team handled the controversy. Hang on and watch out for the Hansen Coin update. Just as a tidbit to wet your whisle, I think the Hansen team may agree with you.
It is not every collector’s dream to have a Chain Cent. Mr. Hansen has all three varieties. This specimen may not be the finest available, but it is another six figure coin added to his collection. Coin Expert Ron Guth describes this variety as: Several varieties of the 1793 Chain Cent exist. The "Periods" variety has distinct periods after LIBERTY and the date. Since neither of these were abbreviations, the presence of the periods is puzzling. This is the scarcest major variety of the 1793 Chain Cents. As of July 2011, PCGS had certified only 70 examples, with only one (a single PCGS MS65BN) in Mint State. Reflective of that fact, no Red-Brown or Red examples are known. The 1793 Periods Chain Cent is under considerable demand from die variety collectors, major variety collectors, type collectors, and first-year-of-issue collectors. The fascinating chain design on the reverse is another attraction.
This high demand variety is the last Chain Cent that he needed to purchase for his variety set. He acquired this specimen in Stacks Bowers 2020 Auction, Rarities Night, featuring the ESM Collection. In this sale, Mr. Hansen was fortunate enough to acquire three of the four large cent ultra-rarities. With this famous and popular large cent and a couple other varieties, Mr. Hansen is only one coin away for completing the set. I will discuss the set more in detail in a future posting.
Some additional commentary provide by the auctioneer: Exactly who discovered this die pairing is unknown, with credit perhaps due to Joseph Mickley, Edward Cogan or Dr. Montroville W. Dickeson. Regardless, this variety was known by the late 1850s, when numismatics as a hobby in the United States experienced its first big surge in popularity. Survivors remain popular for both type and variety purposes, although with most grading no finer than VF this overall sharp and aesthetically pleasing coin represent an important bidding opportunity for the advanced collector.
To have all three specimens in one collection is not anything new. When assembling a Major Variety Large Cent set, the three coins are required. The “With Periods” specimen added from ESM Collection is not mint state, but is a very nice AU specimen. The condition census POP 5/3 coin is described by SBG as: Handsome autumn-brown patina is seen on both sides with blushes of olive-gray intermingled throughout. The surfaces are hard and tight with only wispy handling marks, none of which are worthy of individual attention. A short, thin planchet void slanting down to the right in the field before Liberty's chin is as made, as are a few light adjustment marks on the reverse at the letters ES in STATES. Overall smooth with strong visual appeal.
The coin is from the ESM Collection, but no other pedigree is provided. The coin realized $144,000 in the SBG sale. I would think Mr. Hansen is pleased with purchase due to the PCGS Value guide given to the coin is $215,000. The coin is not comparable to the Eliasberg MS65BN specimen last sold for $1,380,000 or the Naftzger MS66BN specimen last sold for $2,350,000. The only other finer specimen is Dr. William H. Sheldon’s AU58. For now, I am sure he is pleased with this specimen, tied for #4 in condition census report, and at the fraction of the cost.
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. The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 28 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
Last 8
1833 Half Eagle "Large Date" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1834 Half Eagle "Capped Bust, Plain 4" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
@yosclimber said:
Actually there are 5 die varieties of Chain cents:
I think what you are saying is that of the 5, there are 3 "major" varieties represented in this PCGS Registry Set.
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Yes, that is correct. The three major varieties were the focus for Hansen at the time. It appear to me that he “dabbles” in the minor and die varieties. I can not say they are a priority, or anywhere close to being, although he has started a few Sheldon Varieties registry sets. How serious will they become is yet to be determined. If he does get serious, I could see him adding the forth Sheldon variety in your table. The last and fifth, I think would be a long shot for Hansen to have any interest. Can the “not collectible” be found in any registry sets? As we know, Sheldon’s “not collectible” do not necessarily mean the coin can not be obtained. I briefly mentioned the point in one of my recent posting.
I will continue the Early Half Eagles series updates with the 1833. Who knew in 1833 that one hundred years later would be the end of the golds coins being issued in the US? The Major Varieties registry set requires two 1833 varieties. They are the 1833 “Large Date” and the “Small Date”. Expert David Akers describes the 1833 Half Eagle as: Although the 1833 is a very rare coin, particularly in gem condition, it is possibly the commonest coin of this type unless one combines the varieties of 1830 or 1834. There are two different sized dates for 1833 but the differences are rather slight and past cataloguers have generally made no distinction between the date sizes over the years. Almost all known examples are AU or Unc as the auction data clearly shows.
According to the information compiled by John W. Dannreuther in the book, Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, there are three die varieties. There are two dies varieties for the Small Date variety. All varieties are rare, the “BD-3, Small date” is the rarest with fewer than five known specimens. The most common variety has between 22 and 45 known specimens. Let’s take a quick look at them.
Bass-Dannreuther 1. 1833 Wide, Large Date
According to Mr. Dannreuther reference book, the number of known specimens is 35 to 45. The PCGS POP report show there are 19 certified basic coins with only two certified as BD-1. There are no GEM 1833 Wide, Large Date Half Eagles certified by PCGS. I am not sure there is a specimen that qualifies as a GEM. This is written about the Harry Bass coin: The Bass Collection coin is a lovely Mint-State example, and clearly qualifies as one of the finest known. Mr. Hansen purchased his example in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction. The coin was from The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. In the PCGS POP report, the Hansen MS64+ coin is POP 1/0. The MS64+ is the finest circulated strike certified, and may be the finest that exist. I will feature this coin today.
Bass-Dannreuther 2. 1833 Close, Small Date, Distant Period
The number of known specimens is 22 to 28. The PCGS POP report show there are eight certified. The finest is a lone MS65 GEM specimen. The GEM specimen is the Benson Collection coin. The last appearance in action is 2005 American Numismatic Rarities Auction where the coin realized $150,000. The Pogue Coin is a PCGS MS64+. The coin in Mr. Hansen’s collection is a MS63, POP 2/4. We don’t know when Mr. Hansen obtained his MS63, but we do know the last public auction was the Heritage 2017 FUN US Coins Signature Sale in Fort Lauderdale, FLA. The coin was from The Hutchinson Collection and realized $111,625.
Bass-Dannreuther 3. 1833 Close, Small Date, Close Period
The number of known specimens is three, maybe four, really? PCGS has not certified an 1833 BD-3 variety. The whereabouts of the three to four known specimens are a little fuzzy. The one of the two coins that we know for certain is in The Harry Bass Foundation Collection catalog number HBCC 3162. The Foundation Collection provide this interesting note: This example has a small date on the obverse and period close to 5D on the reverse. In his Complete Encyclopedia, Walter Breen described this as a “reported variety” and suggested it may be unique. Oddly, in Mr. Dannreuther reference book, he does not identify any additional known specimens. PCGS does not have any certified specimens, although a BD-3 was recently sold in a Heritage April 2017 CSNS U.S. Coins Signature Auction in Chicago, IL. The sale listed the complete roster at only two specimens. The coin sold in this sale was 1833 Small Date, BD-3 Variety Half Eagle, and PCGS MS61. The coin was described as possibly unique in private hands. This Ex: Norweb specimen may be the only possible coin that can be purchase. The coin was offered in sale of the Hutchinson Collection after being off the market for more than two decades.
1833 Capped Bust Half Eagle, BD-1 Large Date MS64+
This coin is the finest known for the large date variety. As stated earlier, Mr. Hansen purchased the coin in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction. The coin was from The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. The Heritage description does not describe the coin as finest: This is likely the second finest known business strike 1833 Large Date half eagle and it is a cosmetically appealing borderline Gem with rich natural yellow-gold color that is accented by some darker contrasting hues mostly on the obverse and most notable from 7 to 10 o'clock. The strike is sharp for the issue with almost no weakness seen in the centers. About the only thing that keeps this lovely coin from a Gem grade are a few small ticks in the lower-right obverse field. This statement is a little puzzling and there no reference to the finer large date coin. The finest certified by NGC is a pair of MS63. This lead me to believe the general censuses is the Harry Bass Foundation specimen is a GEM, finest known.
The heritage description is rather short for this coin. The only appearance description is given in my quote above. As usual, in the 2016 Stacks Bowers Auction of the Pogue Collection, the description was more detailing: Though struck from the same dies and exhibiting nearly the same level of preservation, this half eagle could not be more different in appearance from the Proof that precedes it. The surfaces are deeply frosty, displaying satiny luster that spins across the fields like a farm of windmills driven by the same breeze. Tinted with the precious light green often seen on United States gold coins of this vintage, the toning is an even light yellow, just a bit darker inside the obverse rim. The strike is good, with only modest softness in the usual central regions, and the fields are free of any significant impacts. Some light hairlines are seen on both sides, along with trivial abrasions and a few lines on Liberty's cheek. A short thin scratch is noted between her throat and star 1. Artifacts of the phenomenon long termed "planchet chips," likely caused by microscopic debris that clung to the die face at the moment of striking, is widespread around the obverse periphery, atop the date, and throughout the reverse fields, most concentrated above the denomination. All Pogue coins are masterpieces, and Mr. Hansen added this one to his collection for $144,000. A discount of $50,000 from PCGS value Guide!
Provenance: David Akers private treaty (9/1990); Pogue Collection (Stack's Bowers, 5/2016), lot 4045, realized $129,250; Doug Winter Numismatics; The McCoy Family Collection (Heritage 8/9/2020), lot 4007, realized $144,000, D.L. Hansen Collection.
1833 Capped Bust Half Eagle, BD-1 Large Date MS64+ PCGS, POP 1/0 Certification #32916367, PCGS #519952 PCGSVG: $190,000 / realized $144,000 Ex: Pogue/McCoy
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. The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 27 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
Last 7
1834 Half Eagle "Capped Bust, Plain 4" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
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I registered for event. It will interesting to hear what John Brush has to say. He is doing a really great job with the Hansen Collection and his fast growing company. It don’t appear that COVID will cause any impact on the either the collection or business. John is a really busy man, and it great to see that he still can take time to present at a symposium. I will be watching
I plan to watch John Dannreuther too. It should be a great John and John show.
JD’s will certainly be impressive! I volunteered to do this early on in the NNP Symposium program as I thought that it was an excellent opportunity to share some of the fun I’ve had with the collection. Now that I know who else is presenting over the weekend, I feel completely out of place as these folks are true scholars!
I’m sure it’ll be fun nonetheless, but if you have any questions, email them in advance or throw them into the chat box of the presentation. It’s primarily going to be a Q and A from my perspective, so I can’t promise anything but my opinions...I’m looking forward to it.
John Brush President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com email: John@davidlawrence.com 2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
I will continue the Early Half Eagles series of updates with the 1834 specimens. This is the last year of the Capped Bust coinage. This has been a very interesting series to study. Also, this is the last of the Early Half Eagles countdown coins. Maybe. I think I previous told you that Mr. Hansen purchased eight Capped Bust Half Eagle countdown coins from The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. I did miss one that was not very obvious. He not only purchased countdown coins, but few upgrades and a few others just because he wanted them. In total, I believed he purchased 14 of the McCoy 24 coins that were offered in the Heritage sale. That was not bad for a night’s work. If I am not mistaking, it was Mr. Hansen placing the bids from his home in Utah, and not John Brush in this case.
The 1834 Half Eagles make an interesting year. I will limit this discuss to the Capped Head Half Eagles only. Maybe you are aware, a new series stated in 1834 with the Classic Half Eagles. If you combine the two types, it is about 13 different die varieties. I will be referencing Capped Head Half Eagles from this point on.
Expert David Akers describes the 1834 Half Eagle as: This is the final year of this very rare type. As a date, i.e. with both varieties lumped together; the 1834 is possibly the most common date of the type, despite the fact that the mintage is at most 40% of the mintages for 1830-1833. This merely goes to show that mintages, particularly of early U.S. gold coins which experienced wide scale melting in 1834-1836, can be unreliable in determining rarity. The Plain 4 variety of the 1834 Motto is more often available than the Crosslet 4 variety. Gem quality coins are almost unobtainable and even AU or average uncirculated coins are not seen with any regularity.
According to the information compiled by John W. Dannreuther in the book, Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, there are four die varieties. There are two dies varieties for the “Plain 4” variety and two for the “Crosslet 4”. For each major variety, one die type is common, and the other is extremely rare. For BD-4, the coin is unique. Let’s take a quick look at them.
Bass-Dannreuther 1. 1834 Motto Plain 4
According to Mr. Dannreuther reference book, the number of known specimens is 30 to 40. The PCGS POP report show there are 33 certified. This seems large with the number estimating surviving at only 40. There could be some resubmissions in the POP report. There is no GEM 1834 Half Eagles certified by PCGS. Yes, none in any variety. The Bass Foundation website offers no grade or condition for the Bass specimen. The Pogue BD-1 Specimen was a MS64 condition coin. Mr. Hansen purchased his example in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction. The coin was from The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. In the PCGS POP report, the Hansen MS63 coin is POP 3/3. This is stated in the Heritage sale: It is likely that four or five coins exist in MS63 with another two or three in MS64. NGC has graded one piece MS65 but most serious collectors believe that the finest are the tiny handful known in MS64. The best we have seen is the Gilhousen/Pogue PCGS MS64 that brought $152,750 in May 2016. Mr. Hansen paid $90,000 for his MS63, POP 3/3 Specimen.
Bass-Dannreuther 2. 1834 Motto, Crosslet 4
The number of known specimens is 45 to 55. The PCGS POP report show there are 13 certified. I am not sure how to explain the significant difference in the POP reports for the two types. The finest grade for PCGS is a pair of MS63+ specimens. Mr. Hansen purchased one of them in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction of from The McCoy Family Collection. He replaced a PCGS MS63 coin that has a POP of 2/2. He has two of the top four PCGS coins in his collection. I will feature this coin in this posting.
Bass-Dannreuther 3. 1834 Motto, Plain 4
The number of known specimens is three, at the most five. PCGS has not certified an 1834 BD-3 variety. The whereabouts of the three of known specimens are given. The one that we know for certain is a coin in The Harry Bass Foundation Collection catalog number HBCC 3167. The description given by HBCC: This example is a second variety of 1834 with plain 4 in the date with a different reverse die than HBCC-3165. This reverse is the same die used to produce the 1834 Crosslet 4 example displayed at HBCC-3166, but in a later die state with this obverse. In an Heritage Auction of a BD-3, AU58 NGC specimen in 2017, the auctioneer offered this roster of three known specimens:
Roster of Known 1834 BD-3 Half Eagles
1- MS64 NGC. Pre-Long Beach Auction (Goldbergs, 9/2008), lot 1258 (misattributed as BD-1); ANA Signature (Heritage, 8/2010), lot 3495, realized $41,688.
2- AU58 NGC. Gilbert Steinberg Collection (Superior, 9/1996), lot 2265. The Hutchinson Collection (Heritage 4/2017), lot 4262, realized $49,350.
3- Ungraded. Jonathan Rosen Collection (Stack's, 9/1968), lot 340; Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection; ANA Money Museum
This is a unique variety that Mr. Dannreuther believes is a lone survivor. Harry Bass has the only known example now located in the Bass Foundation Collection. Mr. Dannreuther writes this tribute pertaining to this unique issue: It is ironic, poignant, and fitting tribute to the legacy of Harry Wesley Bass Jr. that the final variety of half eagles, his favorite early gold denomination, is unique and is a member of the Bass Collection. Bass was a unique numismatist and his collecting passion for early gold was unsurpassed in the annals of numismatics.
I know this is a little unusual for me to have a countdown posting for the 1834 “Plain 4”, but I am featuring a different coin. Is there anything usual about Mr. Hansen and his Collection? It may be rubbing off on me. He did purchase two 1834 Half Eagles in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction from The McCoy Family Collection. The best coin was the 1834 Capped Bust Half Eagle, BD-2 Motto, Crosslet 4, MS63+. There are two of these coins that are graded MS63+. This new Hansen coin, and the other, you guessed it: The Pogue coin! The Pogue coin is a real beauty. In the 2016 Pogue sale, the coin brought $129,250. Mr. Hansen had to pay a little more for his specimen, but it is worth it.
Expert David Akers describes the coin as: This is one of the rarest coins of this type. It appeared at auction as infrequently in all grades as the highly touted 1832 13 Stars and actually had fewer appearances in Unc than the 1832 13 Stars. It is more rare than the 1830 Small 5D, 1831 Large 5D, 1833 or 1834 Plain 4, and is of almost the same rarity as the 1830 Large 5D. Unlike some dates of this type which are often weakly struck on the eagle, the 1834 Crosslet 4 Half Eagles I have seen (the 1834 Plain 4 coins also) have almost always been well struck. From a 2007 Heritage description: Although the 1979 photograph makes plate matching difficult, we are quite certain that this example piece is from the famous Garrett Collection, sold on behalf of Johns Hopkins University by Bowers and Ruddy in a series of four sales from 1979 to 1981. A tiny rim bruise directly above star 7 appears to match the photo of the Garrett coin. Despite a few insignificant abrasions, this is a lovely example with bright greenish yellow-gold color and full prooflike surfaces. The obverse has a die crack joining stars 9 through 13. John Dannreuther described to different die cracks for his die state b, but the other crack from the rim to cap at the right side of star 6 is not visible on this piece. The reverse has a crack through MERICA and the denomination.
In a more recent 2020 Heritage sale, the auctioneer described the coin as: This coin presents an exceptionally bold impression in bright greenish-gold and the centers show nearly full definition on both sides. There are a few wispy lines in the left obverse field and some very small marks in the fields. A small rim bump at 12 o'clock on the obverse serves as an identifier. This coin was last offered for sale in 2007 as an NGC MS64, and we can see why this coin was graded as such as it is really quite choice.
In the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction of The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles, the 1834 MS63+, Crosslet 4, BD-2 specimen realized $138,000. The coin replaces a MS63, Pop 2/2 specimen. The new MS63+ coin is valued at $145,000 by PCGS. Mr. Hansen has a nice pair of 1834 Capped Head Half Eagles. This POP 2/0 specimen is the nicer of the two.
Provenance: 69th Sale (Haseltine, 6/1883); T. Harrison Garrett; Johns Hopkins University; Garrett Collection, Part I (Bowers and Ruddy, 11/1979), lot 477; Freedom Collection; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2007), where it brought $109,250; Dallas Signature (Heritage, 4/2007), lot 1699, where it sold (as NGC MS64) for $103,500; The McCoy Family Collection (Heritage 8/9/2020), lot 4009, realized $138,000, D.L. Hansen Collection.
.
. The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 26 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
Last 6
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
That "sole mint state example" of 1795 Overton-126a Tompkins-22 is the Lord St. Oswald coin, also ex Pogue and Simpson, and up for auction this November. Interesting to see if Mr. Hansen pursues it...
well color me astonished. i saw that coin in the ngc fine details holder shortly after it was graded. now it resides in a prob-free pcgs g4. man the journey some of these coins take in grade and price(s) realized. from $431k f-details to this.
was the ex-holmes/husak $1mm s-79 not a candidate? it did sell later for around $650k? it has a far better look than this one. considerably less money for this one though. you did say hansen isn't focusing as much with varieties and there are far better 1795 large cents out there by condition.
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
That "sole mint state example" of 1795 Overton-126a Tompkins-22 is the Lord St. Oswald coin, also ex Pogue and Simpson, and up for auction this November. Interesting to see if Mr. Hansen pursues it...
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This is certainly a coin to watch, but the real coin I will be watching is near the top of the list.
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
That "sole mint state example" of 1795 Overton-126a Tompkins-22 is the Lord St. Oswald coin, also ex Pogue and Simpson, and up for auction this November. Interesting to see if Mr. Hansen pursues it...
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This is certainly a coin to watch, but the real coin I will be watching is near the top of the list.
it might be the 1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known). - This coin is really amazing and will come up for sale at Fun.
This is the final update for the Large Cent additions. The D. L. Hansen Collection is one coin away from completing the 67 piece Large Cents, Major Varieties (With the four Ultra Rarities), Circulation Strikes (1793-1814) set. As a collector, you may have experienced being in this place many times yourself. It is a very happy and pleasing time, or a very frustrating time. At this point, I think it would be a very pleasing time for Mr. Hansen. He just experienced bidding successfully in the ESM sale. He purchased six great coins that are not seen often. He was able to seize the opportunity.
1793 Flowing Hair Cent. Chain Reverse. S-4. Rarity-3. AMERICA, With Periods. AU-55 (PCGS).
1793 Flowing Hair Cent. Wreath Reverse. NC-3. Rarity-8-. Strawberry Leaf. VG-10 (PCGS).
1795 Liberty Cap Cent. S-79. Rarity-7-. Reeded Edge. Good-4 (PCGS).
1795 Liberty Cap Cent. S-80. Rarity-5+. Jefferson Head, Plain Edge. VF-20 (PCGS).
1796 Draped Bust Cent. S-112. Rarity-4+. Reverse of 1794. MS-63 BN (PCGS).
1807/6 Draped Bust Cent. S-272. Rarity-4+. Small 7, Blunt 1. Fine-12 (PCGS).
The six Large Cents realized $1,162,800. More importantly, they filled some big slots in the collection. Hopefully, Mr. Hansen will not have a long wait to fill that last slot in the box, although the last one is a very difficult coin, 1795 “Jefferson” Lettered Edge. With High Desert now having the most desirable specimen, PCGS VF-30, the opportunities are very limited. With PCGS having only certified three specimens, the High Desert coin and a poor condition FR-2, there is only one coin that I would consider desirable. The last coin is a VF-15 that last appeared in a 2009 auction of the Dan Holmes Collection. If this coin is not available, then it could be a very long and frustrating wait.
Mr. Hansen has an opportunity to join an elite group that has assembled a complete PCGS registry set of Large Cents. The Who’s Who of this exclusive club is High Desert, R.E. (Ted) Naftzger Jr, Dan Holmes, and Peter Miller. Mr. Hansen is knocking on the door. With the finest Strawberry Leaf specimen, he is holding a nice calling card.
StacksBowers describes this major variety as: Unknown in Mint State, the 1807/6 Small 7, Blunt 1 (a.k.a. Small Overdate) has long been popular with collectors and ranks among the most famous of all large cent rarities. Only 100 or so examples are believed extant, most of which are well worn, if not also significantly impaired. In fact, fewer than half a dozen coins are known that grade better than Fine on the EAC scale. The ESM specimen is not far below that level, graded VG-8 as it was in Superior's 1986 sale of the Robinson S. Brown, Jr. Collection. With overall bold detail, including a full date and clear underdigit, this coin is sure to find many willing buyers among advanced large cent enthusiasts.
The coin is worn without doubt. The surfaces are described as: Dark steel-brown patina throughout, the obverse with a few swirls of olive-rose. The obverse is microporous with a tiny flan flaw on Liberty's forehead, a couple of light nicks in the field before the nose, and several wispy pin scratches in the lower left field behind the portrait. The reverse is rough and granular, yet free of significant marks. The coin is a little darker than I prefer. I am sure Mr. Hansen feels the same.
This coin serves nice slot filler. There are nicer coins, including the Naftzger/Pogue AU55 specimen that sold for $305,500 in 2017. That coin is now in the High Desert Registry set. There a few other nice AU graded specimens out there. The coin did not come cheap; the F12BN ESM coin realized $38,400, but does fill the slot nicely.
Provenance: Ray Chatham; Abe Kosoff, 1958; Herman Engelhardt (Montrose Coin Gallery); Ralph Brown, August 19, 1959; Darwin B. Palmer, Jr.; Del Bland, 1973; Robinson S. Brown, Jr.; Superior's sale of the Robinson S. Brown, Jr. Collection, September-October 1986, lot 399; ESM Collection (StacksBowers 8/2020, lot 1053, realized $38,400, The D.L. Hansen Collection.
Countdown 35 1807/6 Large Cent “S-272 Small 7”, F12BN PCGS, POP 3/11, Ex: Chatham - R.S. Brown, Jr. Certification #21842871, PCGS #1525 PCGV: $11,250 / realized $38,400
.
. Countdown 24
1794 Large Cent Starred Reverse, Fine-15 BN
This last countdown coin was not purchased from the ESM Collection. Before we dig into that, let’s look at the coin, 1794 “Starred Reverse” Large Cent. Expert Denis Loring commented: The Starred Reverse is the most famous of all the 1794's. According to Sheldon, "Collectors mention it with religious awe." About 50-60 are known in all grades. Early in its life, the reverse die buckled in a straight line from 10:00 to 4:00, accounting for the scarcity of the variety. Because of the buckle, the upper right reverse wears away quickly and the lower left lingers. Low-grade examples are known showing only a few stars at 7:00. The coin does appear to show some stars around the clock, but it appear to me some are missing. The weakest area is from 1:00 to 5:00.
StacksBowers describes this major variety as: S.H. Chapman called the Starred Reverse an R.6 variety in a scale from 1 to 8, with R.8 being unique. Although he didn't further define his rarity scale, it seems that perhaps 10 to 20 examples were known to him. Two decades later, Dr. William Sheldon retained the R.6 rarity rating in Early American Cents, published in 1949, with the interesting comments: "At one time I owned nine of them, and I have seen nearly thirty, so it is likely that if a complete census were taken in the outlying numismatic bogs and hamlets, more than thirty, at any rate, could be turned up. ... To list the Hays 8 as an R-5 would be too much of a shock to the old-time collectors." He continued the R.6 myth in Penny Whimsy, published nine years later, noting the collectors "mention it with religious awe." Many more have been located in the last half century, and today the famous Starred Reverse is approaching a High R.4 rarity rating. There are probably about 70 examples known, including the present piece, apparently one of the more recent discoveries, and an exceptional example.
Same as the coin before, the coin is heavily worn. The surfaces are described as: Both sides have deep steel-brown fields with lighter chocolate-brown devices. Minor surface roughness is consistent with the grade. A tiny obverse rim bruise at 9 o'clock will help track the pedigree, although we are unable to find any others with that feature prior to this coin's first known appearance in 2012. Most important about this piece is the nearly complete reverse border with at least 70 of the 94 stars visible. The existing sharpness is equivalent to the PCGS grade, and deductions are minor. The cataloger's net grade places this splendid specimen among the dozen finest examples. Our EAC grade VG8. For me, to be an old early copper, this coin is a little more appealing than the coin before.
Mr. Hansen purchased this coin in the Heritage August 2020 U.S. Coins Signature Auction in Dallas, TX. If you recall, this is the auction that Mr. Hansen purchased the convocation of Half Eagles. The sale was two days before the StacksBowers sale of ESM Collection. PCGS has graded nine coins as finer. One of the nine was sold two days later in the ESM sale. The ESM specimen was a lovely VF-30 (PCGS) that realized $156,000. Mr. Hansen had the opportunity to upgrade, but to upgrade a coin two days after purchased was maybe even too soon for even someone like Mr. Hansen to seriously consider. The top specimen is a PCGS AU50 Naftzger/ Husak specimen that realized $632,500 in 2008.
It is obvious that Mr. Hansen is happy with this coin in his collection. The 1794 Large Cent Starred Reverse is not cheap in any certifiable grades. Even a poor coin is five figures. The Hansen coin realized $49,200 in the Heritage sale. PCGS Price guide values the coin at $77,500. I am sure the price was pleasing to Mr. Hansen as well.
Provenance: FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2012), lot 3033, realized $74,750; Gene Heard Collection, (Goldberg 6/2017) lot 98, realized $44,063; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2020), lot 4090, realized $52,800; U.S. Coins Signature (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 3907, realized $49,200, The D.L. Hansen Collection.
.
. The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 24 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
Last 4
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
1820 Capped Bust Half Eagle, Square Base 2, Large Letters, BD-2, MS63+
This update will conclude the updates for the Early Half Eagles purchased in the McCoy Family Heritage sale. I did not cover all of them, rather the most significant purchases. This is the only five figure Ex: McCoy Specimen that was featured, All the others were six figured. The reason for featuring is the coin count downs toward the completion for the Major Variety set. This new purchased in not used in the set at this time. Before getting into those details, let’s look at the 1820 half eagle coins. According to John W. Dannreuther, there are nine die varieties known for the 1820 half eagle with several of these rare. David Akers comment: All 1820 Square Base 2 Half Eagles have Large Letters on the reverse. This variety is of approximately equal rarity to the Curved Base 2 varieties when the Large Letters and Small letters varieties are combined. (Separately, the Large Letters and Small letters varieties of the 1820 Curved Base 2 are more rare than the 1820 Square Base 2.) It is more rare than the 1813 and more rare from a standpoint of total number of specimens known than the 1814/3 or 1818. As is the case with the 1820 Curved Base 2 varieties, the 1820 Square Base 2 Half Eagle is normally encountered in AU or better condition. To simplify this complex date, the following major varieties exist:
Square Base 2, Large Letters (BD-1, BD-2, BD-3, BD-4)
Curved Base 2, Large Letters (BD-5, BD-7, BD-9
Curved Base 2, Small Letters (BD-6, BD-8)
This obviously shows us that there are three Major Varieties, with the Square Base 2 variety the most common. According to PCGS POP report, the coin has been 65 certified 1820 half eagles. Of these, 53 are the Square Base 2 variety (or at least in holders designating). The scarcest is the Curved Base 2, Small Letters currently has only three PCGs certified. Understand, I am not referencing Die Varieties; these numbers are for Major Varieties.
Early in certification history, I do not think PCGS was concerned about the Major Varieties of the 1820 Half Eagles. It appears to me in the distant past, PCGS certified many of the 1820 Half Eagles in the standard holder for PCGS number 8125. I make this statement because the number for square base is 53 of the 65 certified coins. In upholding the point, The Collection has one of these miss attributed coins. The coin is a very appearing MS64 (Now MS64+) specimen from the Hutchinson Collection. In fall of 2019, I had spoken about rebranding effort for this coin. About 600 coins was pedigreed including several for reconsidering for upgrade. This coin was one that passed the test. Prior, the coin was a MS64. Let me show you a prior image.
As you can see from 2017 Heritage image, the coin is in an 8125 holder for 1820 Square Base 2. Look at the coin; it is clearly not a square base. I don’t show you the reverse of the coin but the coin is an 1820 $5 Curl Base 2, Large Letters, PCGS #8127. To be more specific, I can vouch that the coin is BD-5, PCGS #519926. The coin will have a POP of 1/2 in the BD-5, PCGS #519926 holder (no change in POP). For the Collection to get the credit for this coin in the registry set, the coin will need to be sent to PCGS to get the PCGS number corrected.
Countdown 23
1820 Capped Bust Half Eagle, Square Base 2, Large Letters, BD-2, MS63+, EX: McCoy
This coin is not yet seen in the Major Variety set due to the issue I described with the 1820 base coin. As I previously indicated, this is the most common of the three varieties. According to Mr. Dannreuther reference book, the number of known for BD-2 Die Variety is 25 to 30. The most common is BD-3 known to have 50 to 65. BD-4 is extremely rare at 2 or maybe 4 at the most. The PCGS POP report show there is only one certified for the BD-2 Die Variety. You guessed it; the one coin is the new specimen added to The Collection. By no mean am I implying the MS63+ specimen is the top coin. The auctioneer wrote: There are around 100 total pieces known of the Square Base 2 with fewer than half of these in Uncirculated, mostly in the MS60 to MS62 range. Examples graded MS63 are scarcer than the seemingly inflated population of 17 pieces at PCGS, and the same can likely be said for the PCGS population of 10 in MS64. Gems are very rare with the single finest graded by this service an MS65+. According to the POP report, there are a dozen coins in base holders graded higher. Just a guess, but I would think 50% or more is the common BD-3. We know that one of the 12 is this miss attributed MS64+ coin. So, just doing the math, I would think in reality, there may be 2 to 4 BD-2 specimens that may grade higher than this BD-2 MS64+ specimen.
In the Heritage sale, they list a coin that is comparable: The other PCGS-certified MS63+ 1820 Square Base 2 Large Letters half eagle is a CAC-approved piece that sold for $56,400 as part of the Blue Moon Collection (Stack's Bowers, 3/2017), lot 2328. It appears these coins do not come to market often. This piece has been off the market for 14 years and it represents one of the nicer examples of this variety to have been offered in some time. The 2006 appearance was an American Numismatic Rarities.
The coin was described by the auctioneer as: This example is notable for its natural appearance that features attractive dusky green-gold hues on both sides. The obverse is well-detailed while there is some slight weakness seen on the reverse at the inner feathers on the right wing. The luster is excellent with a nice satiny texture, and there are just a few shallow scuffs seen in the left obverse field.
I hope the attribution issues can be fixed. The set has this coin and two others: 1830 Large 5D, and the 1831 Large 5D that are missing. These coins show as gaping holes in the set and collection. In reality, they are not. As we now leave the Early Half Eagles, I think I will miss them. Hopefully, we will be back soon. The Collection needs three other Major Varieties: 1797 “Small Eagle, 15 Stars”, 1810 “Large Date, Small 5” (5 Known), and the 1820 Curl Base 2, Sm Letters. Also, the exceptional rare 1798 Small Eagle with only two acceptable graded specimens certified by PCGS is needed. Lastly, we can not forget the Pogue 1822. One of these five coins will be next. Let’s watch and see.
Provenance: Lake Michigan and Springdale Collections (American Numismatic Rarities, 6/2006), lot 2540, where it sold for $32,200; The McCoy Family Collection (Heritage 8/9/2020), lot 3992 realized $44,400.
1820 Capped Bust Half Eagle, Square Base 2, Large Letters, BD-2, MS63+, PCGS, POP 1/0 (Die Variety), POP 2/13 (Major Variety) Certification # 32231508, PCGS # 519921 PCGSVG: $60,000 / realized $44,400 Ex: McCoy Family
.
. The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 23 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
Last 3
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
We have reached the end of this journey for counting down the Major Varieties. This may be just a break, because the destination is still to come, hopefully. For the Major Varieties, the final destination will be 2 remaining. The uncollectable coins in the National Collection are not obtainable. To reach this destination, two or three very difficult roadblocks are still in the way. First being the 1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath", this will not be an easy coin to obtain. There are only two in PCGS holders, and AU58 and the finest known, PCGS MS62. The 1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" by most accounts, only three are known. One of them is in Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation currently on loan to the Money Museum at the American Numismatic Association. Another one is the strong hands of the Tyrant. The third coin may be interesting to watch in the few months. Maybe the biggest roadblock could be the 1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" with two known. The 1861-S “Paquet” is already in The Collection, it sure would be nice to see the pairing of that coin with one of the two 1861s. The last few weeks have been very interesting watching the additions of the McCoy Family Half Eagles and Peter Miller’s Large Cents, but maybe the most fun is yet to come. Let’s watch and see.
1853-D Liberty Head Half Eagle “Medium D”, AU53
I am not sure we could call this coin interesting or a better phase would be controversial. Being PCGS requires this coin in the registry sets; I cannot help but dragged 1853-D “medium D” into the discussion.
At this point, the last countdown coin I am aware that is added to The Collection is this 1853-D Liberty Head Half Eagle “Medium D” Specimen. The slot needs to be filled by buying a coin. If you recall, I explained the set require having three 1830 & 1831 Half Eagles, even though there is only two varieties of each that exist. How was this crazy requirement handled? , The Collection added duplicate coins. End of story. How is the 1853-D “Medium D” controversy handled? The set now has a coin that PCGS recognizes. End of story. The Major Variety set is now one more toward completion.
I am certainly not as conversant in this debate as some of you. I don’t try to be. There is a thread that was mention a few days ago by yosclimber contains a vast amount of details on this coin. Actually this new coin was discussed in the thread a year ago before the recent purchase. My takeaway is there are three camps on this debate. The first camp spearheaded by Doug Winter does not think the coin actually exists. This may the majority view. Then there is another camp. They believe the 1853-D Medium D does exist. They follow the belief that Medium D is “Reverse W”. The coins that PCGS certifies are not “Reverse W”. PCGS uses “Reverse V” as the Medium D. The third camp would agree that PCGS has it right. It appears to me there are very few experts that are in the PCGS camp. Guys, if I don’t have the explained correctly, bail me out.
So with the information in hand, and the debate that been going on for more than 12 months, I asked about the reasoning on purchasing this controversial coin and thoughts of the debate. The response was: This is one of those weird coins where things pop up. Truth be told, I don't think there is a Medium D issue, but this will have to hold the place until PCGS fixes their issue one day. A place holder coin is an interesting way to look at this issue. O
It appears the coin purchased off of an eBay listing on July 15, 2020. We cannot be certain how much was paid for the coin, but the listing indicated a $9500 sale price. The coin had the best offer option available. The coin was advertised as it indicates on the coin holder “1853-D (Medium D) $5 CAC Approved. Rare Condition Census, Population 2 with only 2 finer in AU55.” Yes, the coin is CAC Approved. I guess that certification has no interest if the coin is really a Medium or not. According to the PCGS value guide, the coin is priced at $5000.
This coin gets The Collection one step closer to completing the Major Varieties. The 1853-D “Large D” is a condition census MS64 specimen. The coin is identified as Reverse U. So, The Collection has two of the die types, Reverse V and Reverse U. If the coin is determined in the future not to be Medium D, I don’t this it will be that concerning. The coin is serving a purpose today. The unusual coin could be one of the many conversational pieces in this collection. The Collection will have a coin that doesn’t exist!
1853-D Liberty Head Half Eagle “Medium D”, AU53 PCGS, POP 2/2 (Die Variety), CAC Approved Certification #20908213, PCGS #98255 PCGSVG: $5000 / realized $9500? Ex: Winchester1873
.
. The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 22 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
Last 2
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
It appears that Reverse W (with true Medium D) was used in other years, but not in 1853.
So Doug Winter removed it from 1853 in the latest edition of his book.
There are a few slabs with Reverse V which are misattributed as Medium D.
Reverse V is still a legit die variety.
Ultimately, PCGS should remove 1853-D Medium D from the Registry Sets,
or it could be relabelled as Reverse V.
But in the meantime, having this slab in the collection continues the progress toward 100% completion.
I think discussion the Early Seated Liberty sets in proof condition is one of my favorite subjects. When listing the toughest series to collect, the Liberty Seated Half Dimes, Proof (1837-1857), certainly would be near the top of that list. I have reported before that I think it is safe to say, the feat has never been achieved. According to information that is readily available, John Jay Pittman may have made the best run of known collectors. It has been published that his “early proof coins were stunning”. In Pittman’s 22-coin proof half dime set, he was 86.4% completed. To complete more than 85% is a huge accomplishment.
I think the early Seated Liberty proofs coins are overlooked. One reason may be they are not officially considered “early US coinage”. They were not the focus of early US issues collectors like Brett Pogue. The great early coinage collector today is Dr. Charles Link, and he considers after 1839 as “modern”. These coins are still very tough. I think they compare in difficulty with the slightly earlier series, “Capped Bust”.
The following roster of 1843 Proof Half Dime proofs: 1. PR66+ PCGS. The Kaufman coin, ANA Signature (Heritage, 7-8/2008), lot 1806, Greensboro Collection, Part V (Heritage, 1/2014), lot 5184; The HFW² Collection, (Heritage, 1/2020), Lot #4144; D.L. Hansen Collection. 2. PR66 NGC. Numismatic Gallery; purchased by John Jay Pittman from Numismatic Gallery for $20 (late 1940s); Pittman Collection (Akers, 5/1997), lot 470; later, Joseph O'Connor; Eugene Gardner purchased this coin from Joseph O'Connor (10/2003); Gardner Collection, Part I (Heritage, 6/2014), lot 30216. 3. PR65 NGC. The Richmond Sale III (David Lawrence Rare Coins, 3/2005), lot 1084. 4. Choice Proof. The John Jay Pittman Collection (David Akers, 10/1997), lot 832. Included in Pittman's cased 1843 proof set. 5. PR63 PCGS. Pre-Long Beach Sale (Superior Galleries, 10/2000), lot 4322. 6. Brilliant Proof. The Floyd T. Starr Collection (Stack's, 10/1992), lot 325. 7. Impaired Proof. Smithsonian, from Mint proof set.
This coin is at the top of the Condition Census report for this date in proof half dimes. In the January 2020 Heritage sale, the Proof 1843 half dime was described this way: Most plated catalogs show 1843 half dime appearances to be the Triple Punched Date variety, unrecognized in Daniel Valentine's The United States Half Dimes. David Akers, in his cataloging of the two 1843 proof half dimes from the John Jay Pittman collection (October 1997, lots 470 and 832), contends that all proofs exhibit a Triple Punched Date: "... it is almost certainly the case that all Proof Half Dimes of 1843 are from these dies since they were all struck at the same time for inclusion in the 10-15 Proof sets of the year." We concur with Akers' findings regarding proof varieties.
The coin appeared in three Heritage’s Auctions in past dozen years. First in the July 2008 sale of the Phil Kaufman Collection of Early Proofs, the coin realized $69,000 as a PR67 ★ NGC. In the January 2014 sale of the Greensboro Collection, the coin realized $55,812.50. Lastly, in the January this year sale of The HFW² Collection, the coin realized only $36,000. PCGS has not established a value for the PCGS PR66+ specimen; the price guide values the PR65 at $65,000.
Since the January Heritage Auction, the coin was successful crossed over to a coveted PCGS holder with a grade of PR66+. In August, the coin was offered for sale by Rare Coin Wholesalers. On RCW website, the ask price was $105,000. Also, RCW offered the coin through other venues including eBay when the coin could have been purchased for $110,300. It puzzles me why every rare coin is not in a PCGS holder. In some cases, a little something may be wrong with the coin. In this case, HFW² only receive $36,000 (less seller fees) in a NGC holder. The coin was downgraded and certified by PCGS. Seven to eight months later, RCW offers the coin for $105,000 in a PCGS holder. That is certainly the power of a strong brand.
In the Heritage sale, the coin was high lined as: The Finest of Only Seven Proofs Known. They described the coin as: The strike is complete on this magnificent Star-designated Superb Gem proof. Soft sky-blue and violet colors are interspersed throughout the obverse, while a slightly deeper shade of blue occupies the central area of the reverse, flanked by violet at the margins. No marks of consequence are noted on either side. A small toning spot beneath the upright of the E in STATES and to the right of the uppermost leaf on the left wreath might help identify the coin. The date numerals are dramatically tripled at their bases, having been entered too low, with each successive repunching progressively higher. Overall eye appeal is terrific.
Provenance: The Kaufman (Heritage, 7-8/2008), lot 1806, Greensboro Collection, Part V (Heritage, 1/2014), lot 5184; The HFW² Collection, (Heritage, 1/2020), Lot #4144; D.L. Hansen Collection.
This is an upgrade to the 136 piece Liberty Head $2-1/2 Gold Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1840-1907). A complete set of half eagles running from 1796 to 1929 is only 182 pieces. So, about 75% of an Quarter Eagle set would be the Liberty Heads. PCGS describes the set as: This is one of the longest-lived series in all of numismatics, beginning more than two decades before the Civil War and lasting into the 20th century. It is a challenging but not impossible set, with the ultra-rare 1854-S being the number one key. Charlotte and Dahlonega gold coins are sprinkled throughout the set, adding greatly to the appeal. Of course, there are some tough-to-locate pieces from New Orleans, San Francisco and Philadelphia, too. A few collectors have completed this set in the past and now it’s your turn!
In comparison to half eagles, I feel the quarter eagles are underappreciated. PCGS describes the quarter eagles as: The $2.50 gold piece, or Quarter Eagle was the smallest gold coin specified in the original Mint Act of 1792. The half dimes through dollars were silver; the cent and half cent were copper. First coined in 1796 (a year after the Half Eagle and Eagle) the initial design lacked stars on the obverse. It is a one year type, and with a miniscule mintage of only 963 pieces, perhaps 10% or so survive. The only ultra-rarity in this series is the 1854-S. Only about a dozen or so remain from the original mintage of 246 pieces, and all are circulated. Other key dates include the 1796 With Stars, the 1797 and the 1808, also a one year type coin. Some controversy surrounds the 1841 Quarter Eagle, nicknamed the "Little Princess." Originally thought to be a Proof-only issue, it is now believed some Circulation Strikes were made, although no mint records exist. As of now, it is included only in the Set Registry as a Proof.
1898 $2.50 MS67+, PCGS POP 2/0, CAC Approved
This coin is at the top of the PCGS Condition Census report (with one other) for the date. David Akers described the coin as underrated: A moderately scarce date that is usually seen in Unc. or proof. Decidedly underpriced and underrated and actually more rare as a date than the popular 1911-D. (The 1911-D is, however, much more rare in uncirculated condition than the dates of the late 1890's since, although the dates from 1896 to 1899 are generally seen in choice condition, the majority of 1911-D quarter eagles are circulated.) Of the sixteen PCGS specimens graded MS67, this and one other coin has the PCGS + grade. NGC has graded 38 at MS67 and a lone MS68. The other MS67+ CAC specimen was sold in a Legend’s Auction 1/30/2020. In the Legend sale the coin was described as: TIED FOR FINEST GRADED of this low mintage date. This pristine SUPERB GEM is tied with just one other for ABSOULTE FINEST graded. There was no mention of the NGC MS68. The Legend coin realized $8,225. In a recent Heritage sale of a NGC MS67, they place the census at: 38 in 67 (4 in 67+, 4 in 67★), 0 finer (1/20). I not sure if the MS68 coin was graded after the February 2020 Heritage sale. There is a little mystery around the MS68 coin.
The new Hansen coin was recently offered by Witter Coins. The coin was described as: A Top Pop Quarter Eagle with a PCGS Pop of 1 and approved by CAC. Superb luster, sharp strike, and near perfect surfaces make this such a special coin. The ask on the coin was $12,500. They asked $13,500 in an eBay posting. This listing was back in June 2020 timeframe. After viewing some past auction imagines, the coin last appeared in Heritage June 2018 Expo US Coins Signature Auction in Long Beach, CA. In the 2018 description, the coin was described as: The upper reaches of the grading scale eludes all but a few exceptional Superb Gem examples, such as this immaculate 1898 quarter eagle in MS67. The mintage was 24,000 pieces -- about average for the late 1890s -- but there is nothing else average about the coin. Gleaming wheat-gold color radiates mint luster in rose and olive-gold hues. A razor-sharp strike defies the late die state. Neither PCGS nor NGC report a numerically finer example. With no provenance given, the coin realized $4,080.
Great Collections has become a strong pipeline for coin coming into the collection. The coin sold in a Sunday, September 6, 2020 auction, with no fanfare. The coin realized $9,562.50 with only one bid. The auction record is $22,000 in a 1/28/1990 Superior Galleries sale for a NGC MS66 specimen. There is no coin before or since that has broken this $10,000 mark. This is where the story ends for this little lady.
The D.L. Hansen Collection of One Dollar Gold is at the pinnacle of the registry. The One Dollar Gold Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1849-1889) set is in first place with a registry rating of 1.57 points more than the second place set from the Harry Bass Collection. The Collection has the first place One Dollar Gold, Proof (1859-1889) set with a registry rating of 2.92 points more than the second place set from the Ed Trompeter Collection. As discussed a few weeks ago, The Collection has six out of the eight coins required for the One Dollar Gold, Proof (1849-1858) set. In reference, the Bass and Eliasberg sets were only 50% complete. The key coin missing in the collection is the 1849-C Open Wreath.
This upgrade is the 1889 Gold Dollar which is the final year of production. Expert David Akers commented: The last year of issue for gold dollars, and therefore, widely saved. As a result, this is one of the most common of all gold dollars, and as the auction data indicates, possibly the most common in uncirculated condition. Although a common date, the upgrade is not common in grade. The coin is presently unique in MS68+ condition. The set starts with an 1849 G$1 Open Wreath MS69, PCGS POP 1/0 condition, pedigreed to the Jung Collection. Now, the set ends with an 1889 G$1 MS68+, PCGS POP 1/0 condition, CAC Approved. There are not better bookends possible for this set!
1889 One Dollar Gold MS68+, CAC Approved
This is a story how a POP 1/0 specimen was born. If you prefer, we can use the phrase “created from the common ranks”. The story begins October 24, 2019. The place was Legend Rare Coin Auctions. The sale was Regency Event: Exclusively Legend. The coin was an 1889 PCGS MS68 CAC Approved specimen from THE CORONET GOLD COLLECTION. The coin is just one of two dozen coins graded MS68 by PCGS and NGC standards. Legend indicates the CAC POP for these coins is four (16.6%). We know the coin was special from the start because being described as: And the heavyweight champion of 1889 Gold Dollars is: THIS COIN! OMG is this a winner! And it's REALLY HIGH END too!
Legend described the last MS68 CAC that was sold as: The last 1889 PCGS CAC in MS68 to sell in auction brought $12,337 in September 2016. You can look as hard as you want, we doubt any other 1889 (and few other G $1s ) will put on a color show like this beauty! Also, the legitimate rarity of this coin can not be overstated. You do not have to be building any kind of a set to want to own a killer coin like this. Just as reference, there were six 1889 MS68 coins sold between the September 2016 sale and this Legend sale October 24, 2019. The price that was realized ranged from $5280 to $8519. The coin realized $14,687.50!
Legend called out the reason they saw for this coin not being a MS68+ in this description: Out of this world surfaces are incredibly clean and smooth. Only when using a strong glass can you find ONE single microscopic grease dot on the reverse. We think that is what keeps this coin from an MS68+. An intense luster beams from all over. Mother Nature did yet another magnificent job with the colors. Heart pounding reddish gold swirls over deep yellow gold on both sides. The coin looks like it is on fire! Miss Liberty and the details are lightly frosted and are perfectly struck. The eye appeal is incredible!
Well as the story evolves, the coin is upgrade by PCGS at some point between October 2019 and when the coin appeared in a second Legend Rare Coin Auction on March 26th, 2020, The Regency 37 sale. This time the coin made the unique MS68+ PCGS holder with CAC Approval. Legends like the coin a little better this time and described the coin as: Extraordinary surfaces are satiny smooth and are super clean. There is one small Mint grease spot on the reverse (which is what we think keeps this stunner from a MS69)! A bold vibrant luster beams from all over. Both sides are bathed is a stunning and totally original mix of yellow/orange gold colors. Miss Liberty and the details are frosted and are needle sharp in strike. The eye appeal is totally gonzo! They added by saying: We have seen and handled MANY SUPERB GEM Gold Dollars in our time. This coin unquestionably ranks among the very FINEST! This is the ONLY MS68+ graded. This coin clearly will be a treasure/lead coin in any great collection it is placed in. If you are building a box of 20, a Type set, or a Gold Dollar set, this coin is an easy fit. Good luck! The coin set an auction record when it realized $24,675.
I am not sure who purchased the coin in the March 26th, 2020 sale. The coin appeared for a third time when David Lawrence Rare Coins offered the coin in late August 2020 for $26,390. The coin was described as: 1889 G$1 PCGS/CAC MS68+ Sole Finest Known! - 1 Gold Coin - Sole Finest Known! The finest known example from a low mintage of 28,950 coins. Vibrant luster beams from extraordinarily preserved surfaces bathed in rich honey gold patina with tangerine highlights throughout. The design elements are softly frosted and struck with razor sharp detail. The eye appeal is phenomenal! CAC approved for quality. PCGS+ grade for premium quality at the top of end of the assigned grade.
We may never know the final sale price on the coin. PCGS has not established a value for the coin. I would think the price realized in the Legends Auction would be a good base to start with. The coin sold for a nice premium in the first sale, but it still was unvalued when comparing to the second Legend sale where the coin realized $10,000 more. The coin does make a nice addition to The Collection.
1889 One Dollar Gold MS68+, CAC Approved Certification #32601847, PCGS #7590 PCGSGV: Unknown / realized $24,675 (March 26th, 2020) Ex: The Coronet Gold Collection
The Collection upgraded a coin purchase in the first Bob Simpson Mega sale offered by Heritage Auctions. The Heritage September 17, 2020 sale of Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part I, was a success in my opinion. The pace of the sale seem a little slow, and they appeared to experience a technical difficulty early in the sale. I am on the east coast, so I did not watch to the end, and I have not seen a press release yet. Before the start of patterns, the sale had already exceeded $10,000,000. It will be very interesting to see the final sale results.
The first coin I have seen posting as an update in the collection is a very nice half dime. We have discussed the half dime collection several times in the past three years. This half dime update is in the Early Half Dimes Basic, Circulation Strikes (1792-1837) set. PCGS describes the set as: This "little" set is a big numismatic challenge that contains two of the most highly-regarded classics from early America. The 1792 half disme leads off the set, the "small beginning" that George Washington referred to that was actually struck in the private home of John Harper before the Philadelphia Mint opened. The other major rarity is the 1802 half dime, a coin that is extremely rare in all grades. There is also a two-year Flowing Hair design from 1794-95, the Small Eagle coins of 1796-97, the Large Eagle issues of 1800-1805 and the Capped Bust pieces of 1829-37. The little 19 coin set already had four Ex: Simpson specimens. This new addition makes number five. This is a prime indicator just how good this set is. (Added note: There are two additional coins in the second set. Total Simpson half dimes is seven!)
With this update, The Collection is now #1 all-time in the registry and surpasses the famous and historic D. Brent Pogue Collection of Early Half Dimes. This is the first for Hansen’s sets. Excluding coppers, Mr. Pogue has registry dominance in the Early Sets. The only other lost that he has suffered is at the hands (or discriminative eyes) of Bruce Morelan in Early Dollars. That world class set will be broken up in the next few weeks. With only being done twice now, this should be a pretty significant accomplish to surpass the Pogue Collection for number one in an early set.
Heritage described the coin as “Outstanding”. I think this is fitting, even without CAC Approval. The coin is described as: This Superb Gem has highly lustrous surfaces with splendid sky-blue, gold, and crimson toning. Those surfaces are essentially flawless, aside from a few mint-caused adjustment marks on the obverse. Slight evidence of strike weakness is noted at the centers, typical of the variety and of the type. The impression is nicely centered on the planchet with slight border weakness at the lower right obverse, the result of the aforementioned adjustment marks. PCGS has certified three Flowing Hair half dimes at the MS67 level, and all three are dated 1795, with none in finer grades (4/20). The other two MS67 coins are both from the LM-10 die pair, suggesting that the present piece is the finest known 1795 LM-9 half dime.
The coin is described relatively scarce. This is the LM-9 variety as described by Heritage: An obverse die crack extends from the border through the Y of LIBERTY to Liberty's nose and cheek. That die crack developed during the previous marriage with LM-8, and is always present on the LM-9 die marriage offered here. Our resident expert Ron Guth comment: 1795 Half Dimes are relatively scarce as type coins go and there are several varieties (see below) that are quite rare. However, as scarce as they might be, 1795 Half Dimes are easily obtained in Mint State, including in Gem condition. This is also one fo the few early U.S. type coins that can be found in MS67 condition.
The coin is first traced to Knoxville Collection and later Jay Parrino (The Mint). There are a couple coins as equal in grade. The first being the Pogue Specimen which sold for auction record of $176,250 in May 2015. That coin could be considered the best 1795 Half Dime. The coin is a different variety, a LM-10. The other MS67 is pedigreed to James W. Lull Collection. From auction images, the new coin appeared in a Heritage Auction July 2003 Signature Sale in Baltimore, MD. For some unknown reason, the sale does not appear in the PCGS Condition Census table. The coin realized $94,875. The next appearance was the Stack's January 2007 sale where the coin realized $184,000. Maybe the 2003 sale is best forgotten.
Bob R. Simpson may have purchase the coin the Stack's 2007 sale. If so, he kept the coin off the market for about 13 years. Also if he purchased the coin in the 2007 sale for $184,000, then the coin did not retained its value. PCGS valued the 1795 half dime at $175,000. The coin realized $132,000. I don’t know the CAC history or lack of on this coin. It still appears to be a great coin even without the sticker.
Provenance: Knoxville Collection; Jay Parrino (The Mint); Signature Sale (Heritage Auction July 2003), lot #6408, realized $94,875, (Stack's 1/2007), lot #352, realized $184,000; Bob R. Simpson Collection, (Heritage 9/2020), lot 1310, realized $132,000, D.L. Hansen Collection.
I saw the coin in hand, truly lovely. I'm amazed such a small fragile coin could travel 225 years and remain as made. Goes without saying he owners have taken great care, as i highly suspect the new steward will for years to come.
The Collection has updated a second coin from the first Bob Simpson Mega sale offered by Heritage Auctions. The results for the 2020 September 17 Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part I has been posted on the Heritage website. The first sale grossed $14,600,000. There were 349 coins offered, so the price realized per coin was $41,833. This is an impressive start with five sales remaining.
We have discussed the buffalo nickel collection a few months ago. This set is a struggle for new collectors because almost all of the high end coins are in the top two sets. As I wrote in last update: The #1 Registry Buffalo Nickel Set is the HOF Forsythe Set. The set is a long standing set that has maintained the award of the best of the registry since 2005. The set received its HOF status in 2005. It will be difficult, really impossible for Hansen to overcome this set. To make matters even grimmer, JDG Trust Collection has an amazing set of Buffalos that is rank #2.
The Forsythe set has 50 finest PCGS certified in a 64 coin set. Of those 50, eight are PCGS POP 1/0 specimens. Amazing! This leaves a little meat on the bone. The JDG Trust set has 29 finest PCGS certified in a 64 coin set. Of those 29, three are PCGS POP 1/0 specimens. That leaves the Hansen set with 13 finest PCGS certified and only one PCGS POP 1/0 certified, 1928-D MS67. This new Simpson coin is the second PCGS POP 1/0 for this difficult set.
1918 Buffalo Nickel, MS67+, Ex: Simpson
Heritage described the coin as “Superior Registry Candidate, None Finer”. The coin is in one of Simpson’s new PCGS holders, so it is possible the coin was upgrade prior to the sell. I have not been able to make that determination. The coin is described as: With a substantial mintage of 32 million coins, the 1918 is a surprisingly challenging Philadelphia issue to locate in high grades, and the average certified assessment falls shy of MS61. There are only 13 Superb Gem submissions at PCGS and two at NGC, and neither service has seen a coin finer than this. Pastel shades of violet and powder-blue color the centers of this Superb Gem, while the outer areas show bands of gold, peach-orange, and rose patina. Eye appeal and technical quality make this an unsurpassed Registry candidate.
Expert David Hall comments on the 1918: The 1918 is about as rare as other early Philadelphia Mints in circulated grades. In Gem condition, the 1918 is the rarest P Mint Buffalo nickel. It is about equal in rarity to the 1913-D Type 2 and 1914-D. Strike for the 1918 is usually very sharp and luster is usually not a problem. While rare in Gem condition, when you do find one it is usually very nice. Th Simpson MS67+ coin replaces 1918 MS66+, Certification #38684977, POP 12/13 in the set.
It is not certain to me where and when the Simpson Collection may have purchased the coin. The new cert number on the Simpson coin makes it difficult to trace the provenance. If anyone can assist, please do so. There were six Buffalo Nickels in circulation strike offered in the sale. This was the best one and realized $55,200. PCGS Price Guide values the coin at $65,000. The coin sold below the price value. This coin makes the second PCGS POP 1/0 Buffalo Nickel in the collection. This is a nice addition to a set in progress.
I'm really curious to see what happens with @tradedollarnut's sale!
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I am too. There seem to be more focus of late with the early US coinage. Hopefully that will translate to the early dollars. The set could use a little sprucing up.
As some of you may know, Mr. Hansen has been navigating a degree of personal upheaval and intensified media scrutiny in the past several weeks. As a result, he has decided to take measures to further safeguard his family’s privacy at this time. In that vein, Mr. Hansen’s Registry Sets will be temporarily non-viewable to the public eye. Thank you for respecting Mr. Hansen’s wishes to proceed more privately with his collection at this time. He would like to thank you for your understanding as well as assure you of his continued love and support for the numismatic community.
Mr. Hansen also asked that I give a special thanks to Currin for his work with the Hansen watch. He has thoroughly enjoyed the research and the conversations that this thread has produced over the past several years.
As for now, please feel free to reach out to me directly at john@davidlawrence.com if you have any questions regarding the collection or if you have coins that you would be interested in offering.
We'd like to reiterate that this is by no means the end of the collection. While he has reached some of his goals, Mr. Hansen will continue to be a vital part of the community as he pursues the hobby that has brought him so much joy. He truly looks forward to the opportunity where he can joyfully re-engage with the collecting community in the near future.
John Brush President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com email: John@davidlawrence.com 2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
I too want to thank everyone that has followed along the last two and a half years as we have seen this collection grow tremendously. I personally agree as John Brush stated that some of this collector’s goals have been meet, but I also feel there are still more to go. As I have reported and kept the community updated, there are 13 coins remaining in the quest and 22 remaining in the circulate strike major varieties. As stated by John the pursuit continues, it will be entertaining to watch and see how many of 35 coins can be obtained. I know of three that will be offered in auctions this fall or early next year.
I have not been asked to stop my updates or close this thread. This temporary condition will make it hard for me to be as descriptive, and to understand the depth and contents of the sets. BUT.. For example, I am aware of three additional Simpson coins that were purchased in the Part 1 sale. I was planning to report on the coins and will do so at the best of my ability. As someone stated, this does put a crimp on what we see and what we know as a community. But with that said, I do understand the situation.
I am not one to give up when the circumstances change or get hard. We now have a new temporary playing field. We saw this weekend football teams hit the field without fans. They made it work. It will be my job to see if I can make this temporary situation work. For those that care, wish me well, and of course, continue to watch.
For a number of reasons, I wasn't really a fan of the accumulation prior to the recent news. I tried to keep an open mind but the more I learned about the person and the collection, I realized it wasn't for me. In light of recent news, I'm really not a fan now. I can't be supportive like others are. I might be the only one that is outspoken about it but I (and others I know) can't support DLRC with business as long as there is a relationship with someone that has so many terrible allegations against them from so many different sources. At least I know the MLS (among others) feels the same way. I know Twitter was on fire with the news. Will the lack of my business and a few others be enough to impact DLRC? No, absolutely not. I'm sure the compensation and business from a billionaire is far greater. Greed is good for some. For me, some things are just more important than money. It will be a good day when this accumulation is sold. I feel that morals are far more important. As far as Currin's continued support, he is either well compensated or genuinely loves expensive coins that he does not own more than anyone else out there, regardless of any possible questionable morality. Since PCGS is a publicly traded company, it will be interesting to see how many articles they write about the accumulation moving forward or if they carefully distance themselves from the person.
"If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64 Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
@keyman64 said:
For a number of reasons, I wasn't really a fan of the accumulation prior to the recent news. I tried to keep an open mind but the more I learned about the person and the collection, I realized it wasn't for me. In light of recent news, I'm really not a fan now. I can't be supportive like others are. I might be the only one that is outspoken about it but I (and others I know) can't support DLRC with business as long as there is a relationship with someone that has so many terrible allegations against them from so many different sources. At least I know the MLS (among others) feels the same way. I know Twitter was on fire with the news. Will the lack of my business and a few others be enough to impact DLRC? No, absolutely not. I'm sure the compensation and business from a billionaire is far greater. Greed is good for some. For me, some things are just more important than money. It will be a good day when this accumulation is sold. I feel that morals are far more important. As far as Currin's continued support, he is either well compensated or genuinely loves expensive coins that he does not own more than anyone else out there, regardless of any possible questionable morality. Since PCGS is a publicly traded company, it will be interesting to see how many articles they write about the accumulation moving forward or if they carefully distance themselves from the person.
Please quit your politically correct whining and stick to coins. I follow this site (as well as Hanson's collection, DLRC, etc) because I love coins. I couldn't care less about the twitter BS or politically motivated actions against (or by) Mr. Hanson. If a crime has been committed, the judicial system will deal with it; if someone is wronged, they can sue; if you and others want to boycott Hanson/DLRC, you are free to do so in an attempt to affect them economically--but I don't want to hear about it on a coin forum.
@ReadyFireAim said:
OMG...His saint pictures are gone...
I enjoyed clicking through his set during breakfast.
There were a few I used for wallpaper so I still have them.
If you (or anyone else) desires pictures of any of the coins in the collection, just shoot me an email! I'm happy to help.
john@davidlawrence.com
John Brush President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com email: John@davidlawrence.com 2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
Good morning, I agree with Srotag. This is a coin forum. What happens in life is not relevant. We follow and enjoy what DLH is doing regarding coins.
I believe Mr. Hanson's words and feelings were taken out of context. It appears he believes games should go on and are not
a place for protest. This has nothing to do with the cause. He believes as I do, that boycotting games is the wrong forum to protest a cause. ANY cause. If athletes want to do it, we must keep quiet and deal with it.
I also do not believe players should kneel during the National Anthem.
That does NOT mean I am against their cause. It is not a slight against black people. if they were kneeling to protest abortion or capital punishment I would feel the same way.
Hopefully we move past this and continue to read what Currin can figure out on the DLH new purchases. I am sure JB will
help in that regard.
Comments
hi
Major Varieties – Countdown 31 & 32
Two 1830 Half Eagles Rarities
The countdown continues in D.L. Hansen’s Major Varieties Collection. I will provide an update for a pair of very nice 1830 Cap Bust Half Eagles as it pertains to the Early $5 Gold with Major Varieties & 1797 Large Eagles, Circulation Strikes (1795-1838) set. I have seen some weird set requirements, but I think this may qualify as the strangest. I hinted to you a few weeks ago that according to PCGS requirements this set needed 77 coins. According to my count, the set requires only 75. If you don’t remember, the updates by Mr. Hansen have been fast and furious, so I can understand how you many have missed the statement. Well, let me try to explain. There are only two varieties 1830 Cap Bust Half Eagles. One is the “Small 5D”, and the other is the “Large 5D”. There are no others! Period! According to PCGS set registry, the set requires a basic coin, AND one each of the small and large varieties. In other words, three coins, instead of two! The basic coin will always be a duplicate of one of the two varieties. This situation exists for both the 1830 and 1831 Half Eagle dates. I never recall seeing anything like this in any of the other sets before.
Well, the way Mr. Hansen handled this unique issue; he just purchased the two varieties, and has a duplicate from prior purchase as good measure. He is known to have duplicates, so I guess it is not a big deal to have a couple six figure duplicates to fill all the slots in the set. As you see in the screenshot above, he is not showing a coin for the “Large 5D” variety. He purchased one in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction of The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. The coin is an 1830 $5 Large 5D, BD-1, MS63 PCGS, CAC Approved specimen. The coin is not updated in the set because Mr. Hansen will need to send the coin to PCGS for BD-1 Variety Attribution. He also purchased an 1830 $5 Small 5D, BD-2, MS64 PCGS that is in a BD-2 holder. With the two new coins added and the existing MS63 PCGS #8152, #06719013, he has a complete set for the 1830 Half Eagle trio. The existing coin is from Heritage’s 2017 FUN U.S. Coins Signature Auction in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The coin realized $111,625. The coin is a “Small 5D, BD-2”, from The Hutchinson Collection. In reality, this set will contain two “Small 5D, BD-2” specimens.
Bass-Dannreuther 1. 1830 Large 5D
1830 Half Eagle Large 5D, BD-1, MS63 PCGS. CAC Approved, from the McCoy Collection
The number of known specimens is 25 to 30 specimens according to John W. Dannreuther. Expert David Akers describes the coin as: The Large 5D variety is considerably more rare than the Small 5D variety. It has appeared only two-thirds as often at auction as the Small 5D variety and this ratio is a fairly accurate indicator of the relative rarity of the two varieties. My estimate of the number of existing specimens would be in the neighborhood of 30-35 pieces, most of them in the EF-AU range. Mint state examples are rare and choice or gem quality specimens are extremely rare.
Mr. Pogue had a MS66 specimen that sold for $305,500 in 2016. There are two other coins finer than the new Hansen MS63, a PCGS graded MS65, and MS64. The POP for the Hansen coin is 4/3. In the August 2020 Heritage sale, the auctioneer stated: Most of the surviving 1830 Large D half eagles show light handling or even some circulation and the BD-1 variety is rare in Uncirculated with no more than six to eight examples known in Uncirculated. In MS63 pieces are very rare, and there are maybe three pieces finer with the best being the lovely PCGS MS66 which sold for $305,500 in Pogue IV, lot 4038, in 2016. This coin is the only PCGS MS63 1830 Large D half eagle that has sold at auction since 2002. In January 2017, Heritage sold a PCGS/CAC MS63 example of the Small D variety for $111,625.
Provenance: Hutchinson Collection / FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2000), lot 7524, where it brought $33,925; Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2017), lot 4259, where it sold for $123,375; Douglas Winter Numismatics; The McCoy Family Collection / US Coins Signature Auction, (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 4002, realized $108,000; The D.L. Hansen Collection.
Countdown 32
1830 Half Eagle Large 5D, BD-1, MS63 PCGS. CAC Approved
PCGS, POP 4/3, Ex: Hutchinson/McCoy
Certification #06719024, PCGS #8152 (need change #519946)
PCGV: $117,500 / realized $108,000
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Bass-Dannreuther 2. 1830 Small 5D
1830 Half Eagle Small 5D, BD-2, MS64 PCGS, from the McCoy Collection
The number of known specimens is 30 to 40 specimens according to John W. Dannreuther. Expert David Akers describes the coin as: All dates of this short-lived type are very rare and the 1830 Small 5D is no exception. Most known specimens are in the EF to AU range and strictly uncirculated examples are very rare. The 1830 Small 5D is of approximately the same rarity overall as the 1831 (with both varieties combined) and the 1834 Motto, Plain 4, and is more rare than the 1833, the most common date of the type. I would estimate that perhaps 40-50 specimens are known.
The only PCGS coin with “BD-2 Small 50D “Variety Attribution that is graded finer than the Hansen/McCoy MS64 is the Pogue MS64+ specimen that sold for $152,750 in 2016. The Hansen/McCoy may be the second finest; although there could be a couple base coins that may be of higher grade. The POP for the Hansen coin is 1/1. In the August 2020 Heritage sale, the auctioneer stated: This is the more available of the two varieties of 1830 half eagle but the Small D is still a rarity with an estimated 30 to 40 pieces known. The majority of the survivors show some degree of handling or wear and fewer than half of those remaining are Uncirculated. As one would expect, an MS64 is high in the Condition Census and the only piece graded higher.
This Heritage Auctioneer described the coin as: This is one of the very few 1830 Small D half eagles that can be called "original" and it has lovely natural medium green-gold color with reddish-gold and orange outlining many of the stars. The strike is mostly sharp save for weakness on the radial lines and at the inner right side of the eagle. The mint luster is brightly frosted. Some marks are noted in the middle of the right obverse field but these are in keeping with the assigned grade. The overall appearance is excellent with a "glow" unique to this type. The coin does have a nice glow, would you agree?
As stated in the sale: This lovely coin has been off the market for 15 years and it gives the specialized or type collector the opportunity to own an 1830 Small D half eagle that is high in the Condition Census for the date and for the variety. The coin realized $126,000. Total investment in the Hansen 1830 trio is $108,000 for the McCoy “Large 5D”, $126,000 for McCoy “Small D”, and $111,625 for the duplicate base coin purchased in 2017. To fill the three slots, Mr. Hansen has $345,625 invested.
Provenance: A Gentleman's Collection (American Numismatic Rarities, 6/2005), lot 1013, where it realized $120,705; The McCoy Family Collection / US Coins Signature Auction, (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 4003, realized $126,000; The D.L. Hansen Collection.
Countdown 31
1830 Half Eagle Small 5D, BD-2, MS64 PCGS
PCGS, POP 1/1, Ex: Gentleman/McCoy
Certification #32231514, PCGS #519947
PCGV: $185,000 (Base) / realized $126,000
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The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 31 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1831 Half Eagle "Large 5D" (Survival est. 22 all varieties w/ 1 Mint State)
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1831 Half Eagle "Small 5D" (Survival est. 22 all varieties w/ 3 Mint State)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1793 Chain Large Cent "Periods" (118 PCGS Certified w/ 3 Mint State)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
Last 11
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
1833 Half Eagle "Large Date" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1834 Half Eagle "Capped Bust, Plain 4" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Currin the 1834 “Capped Bust Plain 4 “ is now in the Collection If my understanding is right that would make it number 29 on your countdown. It did not enter the set until recently and I think it is now visible for your study. Let me know if you need more information. Your countdown does create a challenge and I do think I will be able to add one more this week.
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Thanks Mr. Hansen. It has been exciting to watch all the new additions in the Large Cent and Early Half Eagle sets. Great progress.. I hope you can get the coins in correct holders so you can finish the updates. It is nice to hear that one more is coming later this week.
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Major Varieties – Countdown 29 & 30
Two 1831 Half Eagles Rarities (or Three!)
I explained a couple days ago the dilemma with the Early $5 Gold with Major Varieties & 1797 Large Eagles, Circulation Strikes (1795-1838) set. If you recall, the registry set requires three coins for 1830 & 1831 dates, and in reality, there are only two varieties for this date. I will not bore you with the details again, but if you need a refresher, review the 1830 Half Eagle posting from two days ago. Very same situation.
According to PCGS set registry, the set requires a basic coin, AND one each of the Small and Large 5D varieties. In other words, three coins, instead of two! The basic coin will always be a duplicate of one of the two varieties. This situation exists for both the 1830 and 1831 Half Eagle dates. As with the 1830 date, Mr. Hansen purchased the two varieties, and has a duplicate prior purchase as good measure.
Upgraded Basic Coin
1831 $5 Unattributed BD-2, MS64 PCGS, CAC Approved, from the McCoy Collection
In the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction of The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles, Mr. Hansen purchased the 1831 $5 Large 5D, BD-2, MS64 PCGS, CAC Approved specimen. This coin is in a PCGS #8153 Basic 1831 holder. The coin is graded PCGS POP 1/0, and as you can see above, the 1831 slot has this POP 1/0 coin with all the bonus points. This coin sold in prior Heritage 2017 FUN US Coins Signature Auction in Fort Lauderdale, FLA. In the 2017 sale, the coin’s variety attribution was given as “Small Diameter, Large 5D, BD-2 Variety”. The coin is not in a holder that matches the attribution; in both the 2017 and recent 2020 sale, the coin is a basic PCGS #8153.
Coin is described in the 2017 Heritage listing as: The present coin is a delightful Choice specimen, with vivid orange-gold surfaces that show only minor signs of contact. The design elements are sharply detailed in most areas, but the reverse shows some loss of detail on the shield stripes, arrow fletchings, and eagle's claws, due to lapping. There is a faint die crack through the lower point of star 5 on the obverse, and a more advanced crack from OF, through the wingtip, and the letters in AMERIC on the reverse. Vibrant satiny mint luster radiates from both sides, with hints of prooflike reflectivity in selected areas. Overall eye appeal is terrific. This remarkable coin was last publicly offered 26 years ago. It will be a welcome addition to a fine collection of early gold die varieties. The updated 2020 Heritage is: The present coin is a delightful Choice specimen that exhibits the "glow" seen on certain high quality, original gold coins from this era. It is well struck for the issue with almost no weakness in the centers or on the stars, and both sides display dazzling, unbroken mint frost. There are just enough shallow marks to remove this lovely piece from Gem classification, but it has the strongest eye appeal of any of the 1830s half eagles in the remarkable McCoy Family Collection. This would be a perfect coin for the type collector who seeks a single Capped Head Left reduced diameter half eagle. CAC has approved this single coin in MS64 with none finer.
The coin realized $216,000. When sold in 2017, the coin realized $211,500, the value has maintained price consistency. Mr. Hansen needs to send one of his two BD-2 coins to PCGS for variety attribution. I would recommend for him to leave this PCGS POP 1/0 alone, and send his other PCGS #8153 in for consideration. We will talk little more about that coin later.
Provenance: L.A. Collection of U.S. Type Coins; 55th Anniversary Collection (Stack's, 10/1990), lot 1682; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2017), lot 5880, where it brought $211,500; Douglas Winter Numismatics; The McCoy Family Collection / US Coins Signature Auction, (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 4005, realized $216,000; The D.L. Hansen Collection.
Countdown 30
1831 Half Eagle, MS63 PCGS, CAC Approved
PCGS, POP 1/0, Ex: L.A. Collection/McCoy
#06719025, PCGS #8153
PCGV: $220,000 / realized $216,000
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Bass-Dannreuther 1. 1831 Small 5D
1831 $5 Small 5D, BD-1, MS61 PCGS, from the McCoy Collection
The number of known specimens is 14 to 18 specimens according to John W. Dannreuther. Expert David Akers describes the coin as: The relative rarity of the two varieties of the 1831 is exactly reversed from the 1830. With the 1831, the Small 5D is much more rare than the Large 5D. Almost all 1831 Half Eagles I have seen were the Large 5D variety and I would say that the Small 5D variety is 3-4 times as rare as the Large 5D variety and also more rare than the 1830 Large 5D, the 1834 Crosslet 4, or even the 1832 Square Base 2, 13 Stars.
According to the PCGS POP report and the Condition Census report, presently there are only two PCGS certified coins carrying this variety attribution. One the new Hansen/McCoy MS61 and the other Eliasberg/Pogue MS67 PCGS graded superstar. The coin realized $646,250 in the 2016 Pogue sale. There may be other “Small 5D, BD-1” coins in the basic holder. The Harry Bass Foundation has an example, but his is not that that impressive. This 1831 half eagle with Small 5D reverse is from the same coinage die as HBCC-3157. A very small percentage of the 140,594-coin mintage survives, with very few of those in higher quality. The quoted mintage figure includes examples of both varieties, including HBCC-3159. Clearly less than 200 examples of both varieties survive. This example is from the Gilhousen Collection and was acquired by Harry Bass from the 1973 auction of that collection. Unfortunately, the reverse has been repaired. In the John W. Dannreuther reference book, he stated, Oddly, both coin in the Smithsonian Institution are of this variety (Small 5D), while the more readily available variety is not represented in that Museum.
The Hansen coin realized $114,000 in the Heritage August 2020 sale. I think as the rarity of this MS61 specimen is better understood, the value could swing either way.
Provenance: Sold by Howard Newlin to T. Harrison Garrett on April 28, 1883; Johns Hopkins University; Garrett Collection, Part I (Bowers and Ruddy, 11/1979), lot 474; Abner Kreisberg Corporation sale to The Beverly Hills Collection, January 18, 1980, for $19,500; Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 2/2005), lot 7789, where it brought $55,200; Donald Bently Collection / FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2014), lot 5436, where it sold for $82,250; The McCoy Family Collection / US Coins Signature Auction, (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 4004, realized $114,000; The D.L. Hansen Collection.
Countdown 29
1831 Half Eagle Small 5D, BD-1, MS61 PCGS. CAC Approved
PCGS, POP 1/1, Ex: Garrett /McCoy
Certification #32231489, PCGS #519948
PCGV: $107,000 / realized $114,000
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Bass-Dannreuther 2. 1831 Large 5D
The number of known specimens is 22 to 30 specimens according to John W. Dannreuther. According to the PCGS POP report and the Condition Census report, presently there are only one PCGS certified coin carrying this variety attribution, the lone example is the Kaufman/Pogue MS65+ PCGS GEM. The coin realized $235,000 in the 2016 Pogue sale. The Harry Bass Foundation is said to have one of finest example known: This example with large denomination on the reverse is from the identical die used to produce the 1830 coinage as displayed at HBCC-3156. Only a small number of survivors exist, perhaps in the range of 30 to 35, including two Proofs. This Bass Collection coin is one of the finest circulation strikes known. This design type is essentially the same design created by John Reich in 1813. William Kneass made minor modifications to the design during the period from 1828 to 1834.
As stated, Hansen purchased the 1831 $5 Unattributed BD-2, MS64 PCGS, CAC Approved specimen from the McCoy Collection. Also, Mr. Hansen has an existing 1831 Unattributed BD-2, MS61 POP 2/3, Specimen #34246760. I have no history when coin was purchased, so I think it has been in the collection for several years. As stated, I would suggest that Mr. Hansen send this MS61 coin in for variety attribution and leave the POP 1/0 specimen as is. It is nice to have choices, and certainly Mr. Hansen does. Either case, he will have the second certified BD-2, POP 1/1. Total investment in the Hansen 1831 trio is $114,000 for the McCoy “Large 5D”, $220,000 for McCoy “Small D”, and the duplicate base coin is valued at $97,500. To fill the three slots, Mr. Hansen has $431,500 invested.
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The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 29 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1793 Chain Large Cent "Periods" (118 PCGS Certified w/ 3 Mint State)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
Last 9
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
1833 Half Eagle "Large Date" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1834 Half Eagle "Capped Bust, Plain 4" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
New Leader in Two Cent Proofs
We will take a short break from the Large Cent brownies and the golden Early Eagles and look at some red coins. If you are a lover of red coins, then you should love this update. We talked a few days ago about the significance that I feel the proofs will play in the historical greatest of the D.L. Hansen Collection. If true, then upgrades like this is a small indication of what to come.
As you may know, one of my passions is studying the great collectors from the past. One of my favorite is William Cutter Atwater. He almost completed set of US issues from 1792 to 1920. B. Max Mehl is quoted in saying “only three of four exceptions”. I think it was a few more than that. Unlike what Hansen is doing today, in Atwater’s day, many of the US issues were of no or little significance or importance. In the back section of his 1946 Catalog; Part IV section is called “Minor Coins”. It contained small cents from 1856, two cents, nickel three cents and five cent pieces. A “choice” Flying Eagle Cent realized $165.00. The next most valuable coin from this section was the rare 1877 nickel in “beautiful perfect proof” that soared to $77.50. To get to the point, he sold his 10-piece two-cent bronze proofs in separate lots. The range realized for the coins was from 85c to $24.50. The latter is the “Scarce” 1871, brilliant proof. Total realized for the 10 coins was $60.10! I don’t think Atwater had the 1864 Small Motto proof specimen in his collection. Just in comparison, that coin alone is six figures for a top grade specimen. I think one of the driver for the way these coins are now viewed and valued is a direct result of the registry era.
With that said, PCGS describes the present day registry set as: This set is sometimes put together with ten coins (one of each date), eleven coins (both varieties of the 1873) or twelve coins (including the EXPENSIVE and rare 1864 Small Motto). Any one of the three ways makes for a great set. In addition, the set can be assembled in Brown, Red & Brown or Red. The more color you seek, the rarer the coin and the greater the price. The Hansen Collection has three of these proof sets including two with the EXPENSIVE and rare 1864 Small Motto. He has a brown and red example. To go for a trio, he would need a RB specimen.
This is the leaderboard for the Shield Two Cents with Major Varieties, Proof (1864-1873) set. This is the 12 piece set. Mr. Hansen replaced six coins in his set on 8/13 and jumped from fourth place to first! He purchased six of the top coins from “at that time” number one set, The Prestwick Collection. This is a specialty collector that only had the two-cent proof sets listed in the registry. He wrote this about his set: The Prestwick Collection is a full set of proof 2c pieces. The set current contains 6 pieces graded PR 66 RD CA or better, including the finest know 1871 piece in PR 67 RD CA.
Mr. Hansen added two of the finest PCGS certified Pop 1/0 specimens, 1867 and 1871. He added these coins with two previous PCGS certified Pop 1/0 specimens, 1866 and 1873 Closed 3. Also, he added one tied for finest, 1864 Large Motto POP 4/0, with three other PCGS specimens. Previously he had one other tied for finest, 1873 Open 3. Six out of the twelve coins are the finest or tied for the finest. As stated, he jumped over not only the newly retired Prestwick Collection, also two Simpson sets! One was retired in 2014, and I am guessing we will be seeing the other one retire soon. The coin that I will feature is not one of the POP 1/0 upgrades rather the rare 1864 Small Motto PR 66RD, POP 1/ 2. Before a couple day’s age, I did not realize a six figure two-cent coin actually existed.
1864 Small Motto Two Cent Piece, PR66 Red, Sole Finest Certified Example (Heritage 6/2014)
The PCGS value guide list this coin for $120,000. The overall POP given in the set confuses me a little. It indicates POP 1/0, and 1/ 2 overall (see above). The PCGS POP reports clearly shows the finest certified for 1864 2C Small Motto is a lone PR66RD. So, what is going on with the set, I have no clue.
The coin has appeared in auction three times since 2000. First on a Superior Auction is 2000, then the Heritage 2014 sale of The Eugene H. Gardner Collection. The coin realized $105,750. This fall short of the record paid for a PR65RB CAC, in a 2014 Stack's Bowers Auction. The Auction Record is $112,125. The last public appearance for the new Hansen coin was 2015 Heritage where the coin realized $94,000. Amazing.
In the last auction, the coin was described as: The present coin is the single-finest Small Motto proof certified with the Red designation. Housed in a green label holder, this specimen exhibits rich golden-red color throughout. The strike is exacting, producing a strong degree of design definition, with the shield in particular displaying outstanding details. The well-preserved surfaces are brightly reflective, further adding to the visual appeal. This coin should find a home in the finest collection or Registry Set.
This amazing 1864 2C Small Motto (which I think to be a POP 1/0 coin) and the other five upgrades are great additions to Mr. Hansen’s proof set. It very interesting to watch all the work taking place with the the Early Half Eagles, the Hansen team shifted gears on a dime (or two-cent) and pick these great coins for “Minor US Issues” sets . They are not minor anymore. The Registry has changed that. I think maybe forever.
Provenance: Pre-Long Beach Auction (Superior 10/2000), lot #4165, realized $74,759; Eugene H. Gardner Collection (Heritage 6/2014) lot #30105, realized $105,750; FUN US Coins Signature Auction (Heritage 1/2015), lot #1216, realized $94,000; Prestwick Collection (PCGS Registry) private sale 8/2020, D.L. Hansen Collection
1864 Two-Cent, Small Motto, PR66RD
POP 1/0, Overall 1/2?
Certification #02575127, PCGS #3626
PCCS Value Guide: $120,000 / Unknown, purchased in six coin group
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Great to see a Gardner coin
Prestwik still has a lot of great blazers:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/alltimeset/71277
The 1853-D medium D $5 doesn’t exist and are just misattributed large D’s. Winter evens notes as much in his recent book.
The 1840-D Small D does exist. I cherry picked one off of eBay in an N40 holder ten years ago. Very easy to identify with a bisecting die crack through the mintmark.
Latin American Collection
Thank you for posting Doug Winter's latest reference on the (no longer thought to exist) 1853-D Medium D.
It looks like this has been partially but not completely removed from the PCGS database.
I posted it to the 1853-D thread:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/12690253/#Comment_12690253
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Interesting information..
Thanks for info Boosibri and yosclimber. This is a very interesting controversy. I have been following for the past few weeks. Being this is a Major Variety countdown coin, I am planning to do an update on the coin (9/1, I think). It is interesting how Mr. Hansen and his team handled the controversy. Hang on and watch out for the Hansen Coin update. Just as a tidbit to wet your whisle, I think the Hansen team may agree with you.
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Major Varieties – Countdown 28
Third Chain Cent Variety
It is not every collector’s dream to have a Chain Cent. Mr. Hansen has all three varieties. This specimen may not be the finest available, but it is another six figure coin added to his collection. Coin Expert Ron Guth describes this variety as: Several varieties of the 1793 Chain Cent exist. The "Periods" variety has distinct periods after LIBERTY and the date. Since neither of these were abbreviations, the presence of the periods is puzzling. This is the scarcest major variety of the 1793 Chain Cents. As of July 2011, PCGS had certified only 70 examples, with only one (a single PCGS MS65BN) in Mint State. Reflective of that fact, no Red-Brown or Red examples are known. The 1793 Periods Chain Cent is under considerable demand from die variety collectors, major variety collectors, type collectors, and first-year-of-issue collectors. The fascinating chain design on the reverse is another attraction.
This high demand variety is the last Chain Cent that he needed to purchase for his variety set. He acquired this specimen in Stacks Bowers 2020 Auction, Rarities Night, featuring the ESM Collection. In this sale, Mr. Hansen was fortunate enough to acquire three of the four large cent ultra-rarities. With this famous and popular large cent and a couple other varieties, Mr. Hansen is only one coin away for completing the set. I will discuss the set more in detail in a future posting.
1793 Flowing Hair Cent, Chain Reverse, S-4, AMERICA, With Periods. AU-55 (PCGS)
Some additional commentary provide by the auctioneer: Exactly who discovered this die pairing is unknown, with credit perhaps due to Joseph Mickley, Edward Cogan or Dr. Montroville W. Dickeson. Regardless, this variety was known by the late 1850s, when numismatics as a hobby in the United States experienced its first big surge in popularity. Survivors remain popular for both type and variety purposes, although with most grading no finer than VF this overall sharp and aesthetically pleasing coin represent an important bidding opportunity for the advanced collector.
To have all three specimens in one collection is not anything new. When assembling a Major Variety Large Cent set, the three coins are required. The “With Periods” specimen added from ESM Collection is not mint state, but is a very nice AU specimen. The condition census POP 5/3 coin is described by SBG as: Handsome autumn-brown patina is seen on both sides with blushes of olive-gray intermingled throughout. The surfaces are hard and tight with only wispy handling marks, none of which are worthy of individual attention. A short, thin planchet void slanting down to the right in the field before Liberty's chin is as made, as are a few light adjustment marks on the reverse at the letters ES in STATES. Overall smooth with strong visual appeal.
The coin is from the ESM Collection, but no other pedigree is provided. The coin realized $144,000 in the SBG sale. I would think Mr. Hansen is pleased with purchase due to the PCGS Value guide given to the coin is $215,000. The coin is not comparable to the Eliasberg MS65BN specimen last sold for $1,380,000 or the Naftzger MS66BN specimen last sold for $2,350,000. The only other finer specimen is Dr. William H. Sheldon’s AU58. For now, I am sure he is pleased with this specimen, tied for #4 in condition census report, and at the fraction of the cost.
1793 Flowing Hair Cent, Chain Reverse With Periods, AU-55
PCGS, POP 5/3, Gold Shield
Certification #21757478, PCGS #91341
PCGV: $215,000 / realized $144,000
Provenance: ESM Collection
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The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 28 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
Last 8
1833 Half Eagle "Large Date" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1834 Half Eagle "Capped Bust, Plain 4" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Actually there are 5 die varieties of Chain cents:
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/category/half-cents/flowing-hair-large-cent/type-1-chain-cent-1793/656
I think what you are saying is that of the 5, there are 3 "major" varieties represented in this PCGS Registry Set.
The good stuff is finally coming through!
Smitten with DBLCs.
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Yes, that is correct. The three major varieties were the focus for Hansen at the time. It appear to me that he “dabbles” in the minor and die varieties. I can not say they are a priority, or anywhere close to being, although he has started a few Sheldon Varieties registry sets. How serious will they become is yet to be determined. If he does get serious, I could see him adding the forth Sheldon variety in your table. The last and fifth, I think would be a long shot for Hansen to have any interest. Can the “not collectible” be found in any registry sets? As we know, Sheldon’s “not collectible” do not necessarily mean the coin can not be obtained. I briefly mentioned the point in one of my recent posting.
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Major Varieties – Countdown 27
1833 Early Gold Rarity, Finest Graded at PCGS
I will continue the Early Half Eagles series updates with the 1833. Who knew in 1833 that one hundred years later would be the end of the golds coins being issued in the US? The Major Varieties registry set requires two 1833 varieties. They are the 1833 “Large Date” and the “Small Date”. Expert David Akers describes the 1833 Half Eagle as: Although the 1833 is a very rare coin, particularly in gem condition, it is possibly the commonest coin of this type unless one combines the varieties of 1830 or 1834. There are two different sized dates for 1833 but the differences are rather slight and past cataloguers have generally made no distinction between the date sizes over the years. Almost all known examples are AU or Unc as the auction data clearly shows.
According to the information compiled by John W. Dannreuther in the book, Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, there are three die varieties. There are two dies varieties for the Small Date variety. All varieties are rare, the “BD-3, Small date” is the rarest with fewer than five known specimens. The most common variety has between 22 and 45 known specimens. Let’s take a quick look at them.
Bass-Dannreuther 1. 1833 Wide, Large Date
According to Mr. Dannreuther reference book, the number of known specimens is 35 to 45. The PCGS POP report show there are 19 certified basic coins with only two certified as BD-1. There are no GEM 1833 Wide, Large Date Half Eagles certified by PCGS. I am not sure there is a specimen that qualifies as a GEM. This is written about the Harry Bass coin: The Bass Collection coin is a lovely Mint-State example, and clearly qualifies as one of the finest known. Mr. Hansen purchased his example in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction. The coin was from The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. In the PCGS POP report, the Hansen MS64+ coin is POP 1/0. The MS64+ is the finest circulated strike certified, and may be the finest that exist. I will feature this coin today.
Bass-Dannreuther 2. 1833 Close, Small Date, Distant Period
The number of known specimens is 22 to 28. The PCGS POP report show there are eight certified. The finest is a lone MS65 GEM specimen. The GEM specimen is the Benson Collection coin. The last appearance in action is 2005 American Numismatic Rarities Auction where the coin realized $150,000. The Pogue Coin is a PCGS MS64+. The coin in Mr. Hansen’s collection is a MS63, POP 2/4. We don’t know when Mr. Hansen obtained his MS63, but we do know the last public auction was the Heritage 2017 FUN US Coins Signature Sale in Fort Lauderdale, FLA. The coin was from The Hutchinson Collection and realized $111,625.
Bass-Dannreuther 3. 1833 Close, Small Date, Close Period
The number of known specimens is three, maybe four, really? PCGS has not certified an 1833 BD-3 variety. The whereabouts of the three to four known specimens are a little fuzzy. The one of the two coins that we know for certain is in The Harry Bass Foundation Collection catalog number HBCC 3162. The Foundation Collection provide this interesting note: This example has a small date on the obverse and period close to 5D on the reverse. In his Complete Encyclopedia, Walter Breen described this as a “reported variety” and suggested it may be unique. Oddly, in Mr. Dannreuther reference book, he does not identify any additional known specimens. PCGS does not have any certified specimens, although a BD-3 was recently sold in a Heritage April 2017 CSNS U.S. Coins Signature Auction in Chicago, IL. The sale listed the complete roster at only two specimens. The coin sold in this sale was 1833 Small Date, BD-3 Variety Half Eagle, and PCGS MS61. The coin was described as possibly unique in private hands. This Ex: Norweb specimen may be the only possible coin that can be purchase. The coin was offered in sale of the Hutchinson Collection after being off the market for more than two decades.
1833 Capped Bust Half Eagle, BD-1 Large Date MS64+
This coin is the finest known for the large date variety. As stated earlier, Mr. Hansen purchased the coin in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction. The coin was from The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. The Heritage description does not describe the coin as finest: This is likely the second finest known business strike 1833 Large Date half eagle and it is a cosmetically appealing borderline Gem with rich natural yellow-gold color that is accented by some darker contrasting hues mostly on the obverse and most notable from 7 to 10 o'clock. The strike is sharp for the issue with almost no weakness seen in the centers. About the only thing that keeps this lovely coin from a Gem grade are a few small ticks in the lower-right obverse field. This statement is a little puzzling and there no reference to the finer large date coin. The finest certified by NGC is a pair of MS63. This lead me to believe the general censuses is the Harry Bass Foundation specimen is a GEM, finest known.
The heritage description is rather short for this coin. The only appearance description is given in my quote above. As usual, in the 2016 Stacks Bowers Auction of the Pogue Collection, the description was more detailing: Though struck from the same dies and exhibiting nearly the same level of preservation, this half eagle could not be more different in appearance from the Proof that precedes it. The surfaces are deeply frosty, displaying satiny luster that spins across the fields like a farm of windmills driven by the same breeze. Tinted with the precious light green often seen on United States gold coins of this vintage, the toning is an even light yellow, just a bit darker inside the obverse rim. The strike is good, with only modest softness in the usual central regions, and the fields are free of any significant impacts. Some light hairlines are seen on both sides, along with trivial abrasions and a few lines on Liberty's cheek. A short thin scratch is noted between her throat and star 1. Artifacts of the phenomenon long termed "planchet chips," likely caused by microscopic debris that clung to the die face at the moment of striking, is widespread around the obverse periphery, atop the date, and throughout the reverse fields, most concentrated above the denomination. All Pogue coins are masterpieces, and Mr. Hansen added this one to his collection for $144,000. A discount of $50,000 from PCGS value Guide!
Provenance: David Akers private treaty (9/1990); Pogue Collection (Stack's Bowers, 5/2016), lot 4045, realized $129,250; Doug Winter Numismatics; The McCoy Family Collection (Heritage 8/9/2020), lot 4007, realized $144,000, D.L. Hansen Collection.
1833 Capped Bust Half Eagle, BD-1 Large Date MS64+
PCGS, POP 1/0
Certification #32916367, PCGS #519952
PCGSVG: $190,000 / realized $144,000
Ex: Pogue/McCoy
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The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 27 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
Last 7
1834 Half Eagle "Capped Bust, Plain 4" (Survival est. 37 w/ 19 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
JD’s will certainly be impressive! I volunteered to do this early on in the NNP Symposium program as I thought that it was an excellent opportunity to share some of the fun I’ve had with the collection. Now that I know who else is presenting over the weekend, I feel completely out of place as these folks are true scholars!
I’m sure it’ll be fun nonetheless, but if you have any questions, email them in advance or throw them into the chat box of the presentation. It’s primarily going to be a Q and A from my perspective, so I can’t promise anything but my opinions...I’m looking forward to it.
President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com
email: John@davidlawrence.com
2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
Major Varieties – Countdown 26
1834 Early Capped Bust, “Plain 4” MS63
I will continue the Early Half Eagles series of updates with the 1834 specimens. This is the last year of the Capped Bust coinage. This has been a very interesting series to study. Also, this is the last of the Early Half Eagles countdown coins. Maybe. I think I previous told you that Mr. Hansen purchased eight Capped Bust Half Eagle countdown coins from The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. I did miss one that was not very obvious. He not only purchased countdown coins, but few upgrades and a few others just because he wanted them. In total, I believed he purchased 14 of the McCoy 24 coins that were offered in the Heritage sale. That was not bad for a night’s work. If I am not mistaking, it was Mr. Hansen placing the bids from his home in Utah, and not John Brush in this case.
The 1834 Half Eagles make an interesting year. I will limit this discuss to the Capped Head Half Eagles only. Maybe you are aware, a new series stated in 1834 with the Classic Half Eagles. If you combine the two types, it is about 13 different die varieties. I will be referencing Capped Head Half Eagles from this point on.
Expert David Akers describes the 1834 Half Eagle as: This is the final year of this very rare type. As a date, i.e. with both varieties lumped together; the 1834 is possibly the most common date of the type, despite the fact that the mintage is at most 40% of the mintages for 1830-1833. This merely goes to show that mintages, particularly of early U.S. gold coins which experienced wide scale melting in 1834-1836, can be unreliable in determining rarity. The Plain 4 variety of the 1834 Motto is more often available than the Crosslet 4 variety. Gem quality coins are almost unobtainable and even AU or average uncirculated coins are not seen with any regularity.
According to the information compiled by John W. Dannreuther in the book, Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, there are four die varieties. There are two dies varieties for the “Plain 4” variety and two for the “Crosslet 4”. For each major variety, one die type is common, and the other is extremely rare. For BD-4, the coin is unique. Let’s take a quick look at them.
Bass-Dannreuther 1. 1834 Motto Plain 4
According to Mr. Dannreuther reference book, the number of known specimens is 30 to 40. The PCGS POP report show there are 33 certified. This seems large with the number estimating surviving at only 40. There could be some resubmissions in the POP report. There is no GEM 1834 Half Eagles certified by PCGS. Yes, none in any variety. The Bass Foundation website offers no grade or condition for the Bass specimen. The Pogue BD-1 Specimen was a MS64 condition coin. Mr. Hansen purchased his example in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction. The coin was from The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles. In the PCGS POP report, the Hansen MS63 coin is POP 3/3. This is stated in the Heritage sale: It is likely that four or five coins exist in MS63 with another two or three in MS64. NGC has graded one piece MS65 but most serious collectors believe that the finest are the tiny handful known in MS64. The best we have seen is the Gilhousen/Pogue PCGS MS64 that brought $152,750 in May 2016. Mr. Hansen paid $90,000 for his MS63, POP 3/3 Specimen.
Bass-Dannreuther 2. 1834 Motto, Crosslet 4
The number of known specimens is 45 to 55. The PCGS POP report show there are 13 certified. I am not sure how to explain the significant difference in the POP reports for the two types. The finest grade for PCGS is a pair of MS63+ specimens. Mr. Hansen purchased one of them in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction of from The McCoy Family Collection. He replaced a PCGS MS63 coin that has a POP of 2/2. He has two of the top four PCGS coins in his collection. I will feature this coin in this posting.
Bass-Dannreuther 3. 1834 Motto, Plain 4
The number of known specimens is three, at the most five. PCGS has not certified an 1834 BD-3 variety. The whereabouts of the three of known specimens are given. The one that we know for certain is a coin in The Harry Bass Foundation Collection catalog number HBCC 3167. The description given by HBCC: This example is a second variety of 1834 with plain 4 in the date with a different reverse die than HBCC-3165. This reverse is the same die used to produce the 1834 Crosslet 4 example displayed at HBCC-3166, but in a later die state with this obverse. In an Heritage Auction of a BD-3, AU58 NGC specimen in 2017, the auctioneer offered this roster of three known specimens:
Roster of Known 1834 BD-3 Half Eagles
1- MS64 NGC. Pre-Long Beach Auction (Goldbergs, 9/2008), lot 1258 (misattributed as BD-1); ANA Signature (Heritage, 8/2010), lot 3495, realized $41,688.
2- AU58 NGC. Gilbert Steinberg Collection (Superior, 9/1996), lot 2265. The Hutchinson Collection (Heritage 4/2017), lot 4262, realized $49,350.
3- Ungraded. Jonathan Rosen Collection (Stack's, 9/1968), lot 340; Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection; ANA Money Museum
Bass-Dannreuther 4. 1834 Motto, Crosslet 4 (Unique)
This is a unique variety that Mr. Dannreuther believes is a lone survivor. Harry Bass has the only known example now located in the Bass Foundation Collection. Mr. Dannreuther writes this tribute pertaining to this unique issue: It is ironic, poignant, and fitting tribute to the legacy of Harry Wesley Bass Jr. that the final variety of half eagles, his favorite early gold denomination, is unique and is a member of the Bass Collection. Bass was a unique numismatist and his collecting passion for early gold was unsurpassed in the annals of numismatics.
1834 Capped Bust Half Eagle, BD-2 Motto, Crosslet 4, MS63+
I know this is a little unusual for me to have a countdown posting for the 1834 “Plain 4”, but I am featuring a different coin. Is there anything usual about Mr. Hansen and his Collection? It may be rubbing off on me. He did purchase two 1834 Half Eagles in the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction from The McCoy Family Collection. The best coin was the 1834 Capped Bust Half Eagle, BD-2 Motto, Crosslet 4, MS63+. There are two of these coins that are graded MS63+. This new Hansen coin, and the other, you guessed it: The Pogue coin! The Pogue coin is a real beauty. In the 2016 Pogue sale, the coin brought $129,250. Mr. Hansen had to pay a little more for his specimen, but it is worth it.
Expert David Akers describes the coin as: This is one of the rarest coins of this type. It appeared at auction as infrequently in all grades as the highly touted 1832 13 Stars and actually had fewer appearances in Unc than the 1832 13 Stars. It is more rare than the 1830 Small 5D, 1831 Large 5D, 1833 or 1834 Plain 4, and is of almost the same rarity as the 1830 Large 5D. Unlike some dates of this type which are often weakly struck on the eagle, the 1834 Crosslet 4 Half Eagles I have seen (the 1834 Plain 4 coins also) have almost always been well struck. From a 2007 Heritage description: Although the 1979 photograph makes plate matching difficult, we are quite certain that this example piece is from the famous Garrett Collection, sold on behalf of Johns Hopkins University by Bowers and Ruddy in a series of four sales from 1979 to 1981. A tiny rim bruise directly above star 7 appears to match the photo of the Garrett coin. Despite a few insignificant abrasions, this is a lovely example with bright greenish yellow-gold color and full prooflike surfaces. The obverse has a die crack joining stars 9 through 13. John Dannreuther described to different die cracks for his die state b, but the other crack from the rim to cap at the right side of star 6 is not visible on this piece. The reverse has a crack through MERICA and the denomination.
In a more recent 2020 Heritage sale, the auctioneer described the coin as: This coin presents an exceptionally bold impression in bright greenish-gold and the centers show nearly full definition on both sides. There are a few wispy lines in the left obverse field and some very small marks in the fields. A small rim bump at 12 o'clock on the obverse serves as an identifier. This coin was last offered for sale in 2007 as an NGC MS64, and we can see why this coin was graded as such as it is really quite choice.
In the Heritage 2020 US Coins Signature Auction of The McCoy Family Collection of Capped Head Half Eagles, the 1834 MS63+, Crosslet 4, BD-2 specimen realized $138,000. The coin replaces a MS63, Pop 2/2 specimen. The new MS63+ coin is valued at $145,000 by PCGS. Mr. Hansen has a nice pair of 1834 Capped Head Half Eagles. This POP 2/0 specimen is the nicer of the two.
Provenance: 69th Sale (Haseltine, 6/1883); T. Harrison Garrett; Johns Hopkins University; Garrett Collection, Part I (Bowers and Ruddy, 11/1979), lot 477; Freedom Collection; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2007), where it brought $109,250; Dallas Signature (Heritage, 4/2007), lot 1699, where it sold (as NGC MS64) for $103,500; The McCoy Family Collection (Heritage 8/9/2020), lot 4009, realized $138,000, D.L. Hansen Collection.
1834 Capped Bust, BD-2, With Motto, Crosslet 4 MS63+
PCGS, POP 2/0
Certification #32231490, PCGS #519956
PCGSVG: $145,000 / realized $138,000
Ex: Garrett/McCoy
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1834 Capped Bust, BD-1, With Motto, Plain 4 MS63
PCGS, POP 3/3
Certification #32231516, PCGS #519955
PCGSVG: $117,000 / realized $90,000
Ex: Husky/McCoy
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The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 26 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
Last 6
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1794 Large Cent "Starred Reverse" (Survival est. 60 w/ AU Finest Known)
1807/6 Large Cent "Small 7" (Survival est. 100 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
That "sole mint state example" of 1795 Overton-126a Tompkins-22 is the Lord St. Oswald coin, also ex Pogue and Simpson, and up for auction this November. Interesting to see if Mr. Hansen pursues it...
Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association
well color me astonished. i saw that coin in the ngc fine details holder shortly after it was graded. now it resides in a prob-free pcgs g4. man the journey some of these coins take in grade and price(s) realized. from $431k f-details to this.
was the ex-holmes/husak $1mm s-79 not a candidate? it did sell later for around $650k? it has a far better look than this one. considerably less money for this one though. you did say hansen isn't focusing as much with varieties and there are far better 1795 large cents out there by condition.
P> @carabonnair said:
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This is certainly a coin to watch, but the real coin I will be watching is near the top of the list.
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
it might be the 1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known). - This coin is really amazing and will come up for sale at Fun.
Major Varieties – Countdown 24 & 25
Large Cents with Major Varieties
This is the final update for the Large Cent additions. The D. L. Hansen Collection is one coin away from completing the 67 piece Large Cents, Major Varieties (With the four Ultra Rarities), Circulation Strikes (1793-1814) set. As a collector, you may have experienced being in this place many times yourself. It is a very happy and pleasing time, or a very frustrating time. At this point, I think it would be a very pleasing time for Mr. Hansen. He just experienced bidding successfully in the ESM sale. He purchased six great coins that are not seen often. He was able to seize the opportunity.
1793 Flowing Hair Cent. Chain Reverse. S-4. Rarity-3. AMERICA, With Periods. AU-55 (PCGS).
1793 Flowing Hair Cent. Wreath Reverse. NC-3. Rarity-8-. Strawberry Leaf. VG-10 (PCGS).
1795 Liberty Cap Cent. S-79. Rarity-7-. Reeded Edge. Good-4 (PCGS).
1795 Liberty Cap Cent. S-80. Rarity-5+. Jefferson Head, Plain Edge. VF-20 (PCGS).
1796 Draped Bust Cent. S-112. Rarity-4+. Reverse of 1794. MS-63 BN (PCGS).
1807/6 Draped Bust Cent. S-272. Rarity-4+. Small 7, Blunt 1. Fine-12 (PCGS).
The six Large Cents realized $1,162,800. More importantly, they filled some big slots in the collection. Hopefully, Mr. Hansen will not have a long wait to fill that last slot in the box, although the last one is a very difficult coin, 1795 “Jefferson” Lettered Edge. With High Desert now having the most desirable specimen, PCGS VF-30, the opportunities are very limited. With PCGS having only certified three specimens, the High Desert coin and a poor condition FR-2, there is only one coin that I would consider desirable. The last coin is a VF-15 that last appeared in a 2009 auction of the Dan Holmes Collection. If this coin is not available, then it could be a very long and frustrating wait.
Mr. Hansen has an opportunity to join an elite group that has assembled a complete PCGS registry set of Large Cents. The Who’s Who of this exclusive club is High Desert, R.E. (Ted) Naftzger Jr, Dan Holmes, and Peter Miller. Mr. Hansen is knocking on the door. With the finest Strawberry Leaf specimen, he is holding a nice calling card.
Countdown 25
1807/6 Draped Bust Cent, S-272, Small 7, Blunt 1. Fine-12 BN
StacksBowers describes this major variety as: Unknown in Mint State, the 1807/6 Small 7, Blunt 1 (a.k.a. Small Overdate) has long been popular with collectors and ranks among the most famous of all large cent rarities. Only 100 or so examples are believed extant, most of which are well worn, if not also significantly impaired. In fact, fewer than half a dozen coins are known that grade better than Fine on the EAC scale. The ESM specimen is not far below that level, graded VG-8 as it was in Superior's 1986 sale of the Robinson S. Brown, Jr. Collection. With overall bold detail, including a full date and clear underdigit, this coin is sure to find many willing buyers among advanced large cent enthusiasts.
The coin is worn without doubt. The surfaces are described as: Dark steel-brown patina throughout, the obverse with a few swirls of olive-rose. The obverse is microporous with a tiny flan flaw on Liberty's forehead, a couple of light nicks in the field before the nose, and several wispy pin scratches in the lower left field behind the portrait. The reverse is rough and granular, yet free of significant marks. The coin is a little darker than I prefer. I am sure Mr. Hansen feels the same.
This coin serves nice slot filler. There are nicer coins, including the Naftzger/Pogue AU55 specimen that sold for $305,500 in 2017. That coin is now in the High Desert Registry set. There a few other nice AU graded specimens out there. The coin did not come cheap; the F12BN ESM coin realized $38,400, but does fill the slot nicely.
Provenance: Ray Chatham; Abe Kosoff, 1958; Herman Engelhardt (Montrose Coin Gallery); Ralph Brown, August 19, 1959; Darwin B. Palmer, Jr.; Del Bland, 1973; Robinson S. Brown, Jr.; Superior's sale of the Robinson S. Brown, Jr. Collection, September-October 1986, lot 399; ESM Collection (StacksBowers 8/2020, lot 1053, realized $38,400, The D.L. Hansen Collection.
Countdown 35
1807/6 Large Cent “S-272 Small 7”, F12BN
PCGS, POP 3/11, Ex: Chatham - R.S. Brown, Jr.
Certification #21842871, PCGS #1525
PCGV: $11,250 / realized $38,400
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Countdown 24
1794 Large Cent Starred Reverse, Fine-15 BN
This last countdown coin was not purchased from the ESM Collection. Before we dig into that, let’s look at the coin, 1794 “Starred Reverse” Large Cent. Expert Denis Loring commented: The Starred Reverse is the most famous of all the 1794's. According to Sheldon, "Collectors mention it with religious awe." About 50-60 are known in all grades. Early in its life, the reverse die buckled in a straight line from 10:00 to 4:00, accounting for the scarcity of the variety. Because of the buckle, the upper right reverse wears away quickly and the lower left lingers. Low-grade examples are known showing only a few stars at 7:00. The coin does appear to show some stars around the clock, but it appear to me some are missing. The weakest area is from 1:00 to 5:00.
StacksBowers describes this major variety as: S.H. Chapman called the Starred Reverse an R.6 variety in a scale from 1 to 8, with R.8 being unique. Although he didn't further define his rarity scale, it seems that perhaps 10 to 20 examples were known to him. Two decades later, Dr. William Sheldon retained the R.6 rarity rating in Early American Cents, published in 1949, with the interesting comments: "At one time I owned nine of them, and I have seen nearly thirty, so it is likely that if a complete census were taken in the outlying numismatic bogs and hamlets, more than thirty, at any rate, could be turned up. ... To list the Hays 8 as an R-5 would be too much of a shock to the old-time collectors." He continued the R.6 myth in Penny Whimsy, published nine years later, noting the collectors "mention it with religious awe." Many more have been located in the last half century, and today the famous Starred Reverse is approaching a High R.4 rarity rating. There are probably about 70 examples known, including the present piece, apparently one of the more recent discoveries, and an exceptional example.
Same as the coin before, the coin is heavily worn. The surfaces are described as: Both sides have deep steel-brown fields with lighter chocolate-brown devices. Minor surface roughness is consistent with the grade. A tiny obverse rim bruise at 9 o'clock will help track the pedigree, although we are unable to find any others with that feature prior to this coin's first known appearance in 2012. Most important about this piece is the nearly complete reverse border with at least 70 of the 94 stars visible. The existing sharpness is equivalent to the PCGS grade, and deductions are minor. The cataloger's net grade places this splendid specimen among the dozen finest examples. Our EAC grade VG8. For me, to be an old early copper, this coin is a little more appealing than the coin before.
Mr. Hansen purchased this coin in the Heritage August 2020 U.S. Coins Signature Auction in Dallas, TX. If you recall, this is the auction that Mr. Hansen purchased the convocation of Half Eagles. The sale was two days before the StacksBowers sale of ESM Collection. PCGS has graded nine coins as finer. One of the nine was sold two days later in the ESM sale. The ESM specimen was a lovely VF-30 (PCGS) that realized $156,000. Mr. Hansen had the opportunity to upgrade, but to upgrade a coin two days after purchased was maybe even too soon for even someone like Mr. Hansen to seriously consider. The top specimen is a PCGS AU50 Naftzger/ Husak specimen that realized $632,500 in 2008.
It is obvious that Mr. Hansen is happy with this coin in his collection. The 1794 Large Cent Starred Reverse is not cheap in any certifiable grades. Even a poor coin is five figures. The Hansen coin realized $49,200 in the Heritage sale. PCGS Price guide values the coin at $77,500. I am sure the price was pleasing to Mr. Hansen as well.
Provenance: FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2012), lot 3033, realized $74,750; Gene Heard Collection, (Goldberg 6/2017) lot 98, realized $44,063; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2020), lot 4090, realized $52,800; U.S. Coins Signature (Heritage, 8/2020), lot 3907, realized $49,200, The D.L. Hansen Collection.
1794 Large Cent Starred Reverse, Fine-15 BN
PCGS, POP 1/9, Ex: Gene Heard
Certification #34179930, PCGS #1374
PCGV: $77,500 / realized $49,200
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The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set in The D. L. Hansen Collection. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 24 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Large Letters" (Survival est. 32 w/ 20 Mint State)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
Last 4
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Major Varieties – Countdown 23
1820 Capped Bust Half Eagle, Square Base 2, Large Letters, BD-2, MS63+
This update will conclude the updates for the Early Half Eagles purchased in the McCoy Family Heritage sale. I did not cover all of them, rather the most significant purchases. This is the only five figure Ex: McCoy Specimen that was featured, All the others were six figured. The reason for featuring is the coin count downs toward the completion for the Major Variety set. This new purchased in not used in the set at this time. Before getting into those details, let’s look at the 1820 half eagle coins. According to John W. Dannreuther, there are nine die varieties known for the 1820 half eagle with several of these rare. David Akers comment: All 1820 Square Base 2 Half Eagles have Large Letters on the reverse. This variety is of approximately equal rarity to the Curved Base 2 varieties when the Large Letters and Small letters varieties are combined. (Separately, the Large Letters and Small letters varieties of the 1820 Curved Base 2 are more rare than the 1820 Square Base 2.) It is more rare than the 1813 and more rare from a standpoint of total number of specimens known than the 1814/3 or 1818. As is the case with the 1820 Curved Base 2 varieties, the 1820 Square Base 2 Half Eagle is normally encountered in AU or better condition. To simplify this complex date, the following major varieties exist:
Square Base 2, Large Letters (BD-1, BD-2, BD-3, BD-4)
Curved Base 2, Large Letters (BD-5, BD-7, BD-9
Curved Base 2, Small Letters (BD-6, BD-8)
This obviously shows us that there are three Major Varieties, with the Square Base 2 variety the most common. According to PCGS POP report, the coin has been 65 certified 1820 half eagles. Of these, 53 are the Square Base 2 variety (or at least in holders designating). The scarcest is the Curved Base 2, Small Letters currently has only three PCGs certified. Understand, I am not referencing Die Varieties; these numbers are for Major Varieties.
Early in certification history, I do not think PCGS was concerned about the Major Varieties of the 1820 Half Eagles. It appears to me in the distant past, PCGS certified many of the 1820 Half Eagles in the standard holder for PCGS number 8125. I make this statement because the number for square base is 53 of the 65 certified coins. In upholding the point, The Collection has one of these miss attributed coins. The coin is a very appearing MS64 (Now MS64+) specimen from the Hutchinson Collection. In fall of 2019, I had spoken about rebranding effort for this coin. About 600 coins was pedigreed including several for reconsidering for upgrade. This coin was one that passed the test. Prior, the coin was a MS64. Let me show you a prior image.
As you can see from 2017 Heritage image, the coin is in an 8125 holder for 1820 Square Base 2. Look at the coin; it is clearly not a square base. I don’t show you the reverse of the coin but the coin is an 1820 $5 Curl Base 2, Large Letters, PCGS #8127. To be more specific, I can vouch that the coin is BD-5, PCGS #519926. The coin will have a POP of 1/2 in the BD-5, PCGS #519926 holder (no change in POP). For the Collection to get the credit for this coin in the registry set, the coin will need to be sent to PCGS to get the PCGS number corrected.
Countdown 23
1820 Capped Bust Half Eagle, Square Base 2, Large Letters, BD-2, MS63+, EX: McCoy
This coin is not yet seen in the Major Variety set due to the issue I described with the 1820 base coin. As I previously indicated, this is the most common of the three varieties. According to Mr. Dannreuther reference book, the number of known for BD-2 Die Variety is 25 to 30. The most common is BD-3 known to have 50 to 65. BD-4 is extremely rare at 2 or maybe 4 at the most. The PCGS POP report show there is only one certified for the BD-2 Die Variety. You guessed it; the one coin is the new specimen added to The Collection. By no mean am I implying the MS63+ specimen is the top coin. The auctioneer wrote: There are around 100 total pieces known of the Square Base 2 with fewer than half of these in Uncirculated, mostly in the MS60 to MS62 range. Examples graded MS63 are scarcer than the seemingly inflated population of 17 pieces at PCGS, and the same can likely be said for the PCGS population of 10 in MS64. Gems are very rare with the single finest graded by this service an MS65+. According to the POP report, there are a dozen coins in base holders graded higher. Just a guess, but I would think 50% or more is the common BD-3. We know that one of the 12 is this miss attributed MS64+ coin. So, just doing the math, I would think in reality, there may be 2 to 4 BD-2 specimens that may grade higher than this BD-2 MS64+ specimen.
In the Heritage sale, they list a coin that is comparable: The other PCGS-certified MS63+ 1820 Square Base 2 Large Letters half eagle is a CAC-approved piece that sold for $56,400 as part of the Blue Moon Collection (Stack's Bowers, 3/2017), lot 2328. It appears these coins do not come to market often. This piece has been off the market for 14 years and it represents one of the nicer examples of this variety to have been offered in some time. The 2006 appearance was an American Numismatic Rarities.
The coin was described by the auctioneer as: This example is notable for its natural appearance that features attractive dusky green-gold hues on both sides. The obverse is well-detailed while there is some slight weakness seen on the reverse at the inner feathers on the right wing. The luster is excellent with a nice satiny texture, and there are just a few shallow scuffs seen in the left obverse field.
I hope the attribution issues can be fixed. The set has this coin and two others: 1830 Large 5D, and the 1831 Large 5D that are missing. These coins show as gaping holes in the set and collection. In reality, they are not. As we now leave the Early Half Eagles, I think I will miss them. Hopefully, we will be back soon. The Collection needs three other Major Varieties: 1797 “Small Eagle, 15 Stars”, 1810 “Large Date, Small 5” (5 Known), and the 1820 Curl Base 2, Sm Letters. Also, the exceptional rare 1798 Small Eagle with only two acceptable graded specimens certified by PCGS is needed. Lastly, we can not forget the Pogue 1822. One of these five coins will be next. Let’s watch and see.
Provenance: Lake Michigan and Springdale Collections (American Numismatic Rarities, 6/2006), lot 2540, where it sold for $32,200; The McCoy Family Collection (Heritage 8/9/2020), lot 3992 realized $44,400.
1820 Capped Bust Half Eagle, Square Base 2, Large Letters, BD-2, MS63+,
PCGS, POP 1/0 (Die Variety), POP 2/13 (Major Variety)
Certification # 32231508, PCGS # 519921
PCGSVG: $60,000 / realized $44,400
Ex: McCoy Family
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The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 23 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1853-D Half Eagle "Medium D" (Survival est. 15 w/ AU Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
Last 3
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Major Varieties – Countdown 22
We have reached the end of this journey for counting down the Major Varieties. This may be just a break, because the destination is still to come, hopefully. For the Major Varieties, the final destination will be 2 remaining. The uncollectable coins in the National Collection are not obtainable. To reach this destination, two or three very difficult roadblocks are still in the way. First being the 1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath", this will not be an easy coin to obtain. There are only two in PCGS holders, and AU58 and the finest known, PCGS MS62. The 1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" by most accounts, only three are known. One of them is in Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation currently on loan to the Money Museum at the American Numismatic Association. Another one is the strong hands of the Tyrant. The third coin may be interesting to watch in the few months. Maybe the biggest roadblock could be the 1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" with two known. The 1861-S “Paquet” is already in The Collection, it sure would be nice to see the pairing of that coin with one of the two 1861s. The last few weeks have been very interesting watching the additions of the McCoy Family Half Eagles and Peter Miller’s Large Cents, but maybe the most fun is yet to come. Let’s watch and see.
1853-D Liberty Head Half Eagle “Medium D”, AU53
I am not sure we could call this coin interesting or a better phase would be controversial. Being PCGS requires this coin in the registry sets; I cannot help but dragged 1853-D “medium D” into the discussion.
At this point, the last countdown coin I am aware that is added to The Collection is this 1853-D Liberty Head Half Eagle “Medium D” Specimen. The slot needs to be filled by buying a coin. If you recall, I explained the set require having three 1830 & 1831 Half Eagles, even though there is only two varieties of each that exist. How was this crazy requirement handled? , The Collection added duplicate coins. End of story. How is the 1853-D “Medium D” controversy handled? The set now has a coin that PCGS recognizes. End of story. The Major Variety set is now one more toward completion.
I am certainly not as conversant in this debate as some of you. I don’t try to be. There is a thread that was mention a few days ago by yosclimber contains a vast amount of details on this coin. Actually this new coin was discussed in the thread a year ago before the recent purchase. My takeaway is there are three camps on this debate. The first camp spearheaded by Doug Winter does not think the coin actually exists. This may the majority view. Then there is another camp. They believe the 1853-D Medium D does exist. They follow the belief that Medium D is “Reverse W”. The coins that PCGS certifies are not “Reverse W”. PCGS uses “Reverse V” as the Medium D. The third camp would agree that PCGS has it right. It appears to me there are very few experts that are in the PCGS camp. Guys, if I don’t have the explained correctly, bail me out.
So with the information in hand, and the debate that been going on for more than 12 months, I asked about the reasoning on purchasing this controversial coin and thoughts of the debate. The response was: This is one of those weird coins where things pop up. Truth be told, I don't think there is a Medium D issue, but this will have to hold the place until PCGS fixes their issue one day. A place holder coin is an interesting way to look at this issue. O
It appears the coin purchased off of an eBay listing on July 15, 2020. We cannot be certain how much was paid for the coin, but the listing indicated a $9500 sale price. The coin had the best offer option available. The coin was advertised as it indicates on the coin holder “1853-D (Medium D) $5 CAC Approved. Rare Condition Census, Population 2 with only 2 finer in AU55.” Yes, the coin is CAC Approved. I guess that certification has no interest if the coin is really a Medium or not. According to the PCGS value guide, the coin is priced at $5000.
This coin gets The Collection one step closer to completing the Major Varieties. The 1853-D “Large D” is a condition census MS64 specimen. The coin is identified as Reverse U. So, The Collection has two of the die types, Reverse V and Reverse U. If the coin is determined in the future not to be Medium D, I don’t this it will be that concerning. The coin is serving a purpose today. The unusual coin could be one of the many conversational pieces in this collection. The Collection will have a coin that doesn’t exist!
1853-D Liberty Head Half Eagle “Medium D”, AU53
PCGS, POP 2/2 (Die Variety), CAC Approved
Certification #20908213, PCGS #98255
PCGSVG: $5000 / realized $9500?
Ex: Winchester1873
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The Major Varieties Set is an expansion of the PCGS Basic Set. To complete, this set would require the 2821 basic coins plus an additional 439 Major Varieties Coins. With this addition, there are 22 remaining coins in this quest. The first two coins are not collectable, so the completion of this set would be 99.94%. PCGS describes this set as: Every classic U.S. coin in Circulation Strike from 1792 through 1964, every date, every Mintmark, every major variety, this set is the ultimate challenge. A collection of this size could take decades to assemble in high grade.
Top 10
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 15 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1797 Half Eagle "Large Eagle, 16 Stars" (1 Known – Permanently in Smithsonian) Uncollectable
1861 Double Eagle "Paquet" (2 Known)
1804 Eagle "Plain 4 Proof" (3 Known)
1849-C Gold Dollar "Open Wreath" (4 Known w/ one defective)
1958 Small Cent "Doubled Die Obverse” (3 Known)
1795 Large Cent "Jefferson, Lettered Edge" (5 Known w/ VF Finest Known)
1810 Half Eagle "Large Date, Small 5" (5 Known w/ AU Finest Known)
1842 Half Dollar "Small Date, Rev of 1839" (Survival est. 10 w/ 1 Mint State)
1804 Quarter Eagle "13 Star Reverse" (Survival est. 11 w/ AU Finest Known)
Next 10
1797 Half Cent "Gripped Edge" (Survival est. 13 w/ VG Finest Known)
1797 Half Eagle "Small Eagle, 15 Stars" (Survival est. 20 w/ 1 Mint State)
1820 Half Eagle "Curl Base 2, Sm Letters" (Survival est. 14 w/ 8 Mint State)
1800 Dollar "Wide Date, Low 8, AMERICAI" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1840-D Half Eagle "Small D" (Survival est. 25 w/ AU Finest Known)
1798/7 Eagle "7X6 Stars" (Survival est. 25 w/ 3 Mint State)
1812/1 Half Dollar "Large 8" (Survival est. 35 w/ AU Finest Known)
1839 Half Dollar "Receeded Edge, Small Letters” (Survival est. 50 w/ 4 Mint State)
1798 Quarter Eagle "Wide Date" (Survival est. 50 w/ 8 Mint State)
1798 Dollar "Large Eagle, Knob 9, 4 Lines" (Survival est. 125 w/ 2 Mint State)
Last 2
1795 Half Dollar "Small Head" (Survival est. 450 w/ 1 Mint State)
1887/6 Three Cent CN (Survival est. 800 w/ 750 Mint State)
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
It appears that Reverse W (with true Medium D) was used in other years, but not in 1853.
So Doug Winter removed it from 1853 in the latest edition of his book.
There are a few slabs with Reverse V which are misattributed as Medium D.
Reverse V is still a legit die variety.
Ultimately, PCGS should remove 1853-D Medium D from the Registry Sets,
or it could be relabelled as Reverse V.
But in the meantime, having this slab in the collection continues the progress toward 100% completion.
Here is my post to the 1853-D thread, with photo comparisons:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/12677093/#Comment_12677093
Proof Early Seated Liberty Half Dime
I think discussion the Early Seated Liberty sets in proof condition is one of my favorite subjects. When listing the toughest series to collect, the Liberty Seated Half Dimes, Proof (1837-1857), certainly would be near the top of that list. I have reported before that I think it is safe to say, the feat has never been achieved. According to information that is readily available, John Jay Pittman may have made the best run of known collectors. It has been published that his “early proof coins were stunning”. In Pittman’s 22-coin proof half dime set, he was 86.4% completed. To complete more than 85% is a huge accomplishment.
I think the early Seated Liberty proofs coins are overlooked. One reason may be they are not officially considered “early US coinage”. They were not the focus of early US issues collectors like Brett Pogue. The great early coinage collector today is Dr. Charles Link, and he considers after 1839 as “modern”. These coins are still very tough. I think they compare in difficulty with the slightly earlier series, “Capped Bust”.
The following roster of 1843 Proof Half Dime proofs:
1. PR66+ PCGS. The Kaufman coin, ANA Signature (Heritage, 7-8/2008), lot 1806, Greensboro Collection, Part V (Heritage, 1/2014), lot 5184; The HFW² Collection, (Heritage, 1/2020), Lot #4144; D.L. Hansen Collection.
2. PR66 NGC. Numismatic Gallery; purchased by John Jay Pittman from Numismatic Gallery for $20 (late 1940s); Pittman Collection (Akers, 5/1997), lot 470; later, Joseph O'Connor; Eugene Gardner purchased this coin from Joseph O'Connor (10/2003); Gardner Collection, Part I (Heritage, 6/2014), lot 30216.
3. PR65 NGC. The Richmond Sale III (David Lawrence Rare Coins, 3/2005), lot 1084.
4. Choice Proof. The John Jay Pittman Collection (David Akers, 10/1997), lot 832. Included in Pittman's cased 1843 proof set.
5. PR63 PCGS. Pre-Long Beach Sale (Superior Galleries, 10/2000), lot 4322.
6. Brilliant Proof. The Floyd T. Starr Collection (Stack's, 10/1992), lot 325.
7. Impaired Proof. Smithsonian, from Mint proof set.
1843 H10C PR66+, Ex: Kaufman - Finest PCGS POP 1/0 – CAC Approved
This coin is at the top of the Condition Census report for this date in proof half dimes. In the January 2020 Heritage sale, the Proof 1843 half dime was described this way: Most plated catalogs show 1843 half dime appearances to be the Triple Punched Date variety, unrecognized in Daniel Valentine's The United States Half Dimes. David Akers, in his cataloging of the two 1843 proof half dimes from the John Jay Pittman collection (October 1997, lots 470 and 832), contends that all proofs exhibit a Triple Punched Date: "... it is almost certainly the case that all Proof Half Dimes of 1843 are from these dies since they were all struck at the same time for inclusion in the 10-15 Proof sets of the year." We concur with Akers' findings regarding proof varieties.
The coin appeared in three Heritage’s Auctions in past dozen years. First in the July 2008 sale of the Phil Kaufman Collection of Early Proofs, the coin realized $69,000 as a PR67 ★ NGC. In the January 2014 sale of the Greensboro Collection, the coin realized $55,812.50. Lastly, in the January this year sale of The HFW² Collection, the coin realized only $36,000. PCGS has not established a value for the PCGS PR66+ specimen; the price guide values the PR65 at $65,000.
Since the January Heritage Auction, the coin was successful crossed over to a coveted PCGS holder with a grade of PR66+. In August, the coin was offered for sale by Rare Coin Wholesalers. On RCW website, the ask price was $105,000. Also, RCW offered the coin through other venues including eBay when the coin could have been purchased for $110,300. It puzzles me why every rare coin is not in a PCGS holder. In some cases, a little something may be wrong with the coin. In this case, HFW² only receive $36,000 (less seller fees) in a NGC holder. The coin was downgraded and certified by PCGS. Seven to eight months later, RCW offers the coin for $105,000 in a PCGS holder. That is certainly the power of a strong brand.
In the Heritage sale, the coin was high lined as: The Finest of Only Seven Proofs Known. They described the coin as: The strike is complete on this magnificent Star-designated Superb Gem proof. Soft sky-blue and violet colors are interspersed throughout the obverse, while a slightly deeper shade of blue occupies the central area of the reverse, flanked by violet at the margins. No marks of consequence are noted on either side. A small toning spot beneath the upright of the E in STATES and to the right of the uppermost leaf on the left wreath might help identify the coin. The date numerals are dramatically tripled at their bases, having been entered too low, with each successive repunching progressively higher. Overall eye appeal is terrific.
Provenance: The Kaufman (Heritage, 7-8/2008), lot 1806, Greensboro Collection, Part V (Heritage, 1/2014), lot 5184; The HFW² Collection, (Heritage, 1/2020), Lot #4144; D.L. Hansen Collection.
1843 PR65+ Half Dime, CAC Approved
Certification #39225884, PCGS #4419
PCGSGV: Unknown / Ask $105,000
Ex: Kaufman
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
I really like that Kaufman 1843 proof half dime - triple punched date and great colors.
This variety (V-10) made it into the list of 8 "Great but Too Rare for the Top 100" list.
https://sites.google.com/view/clintcummins/half-dime-attribution-guide
The price seems to vary a lot, depending on whether there are 2 bidders that want it!
Nice Little Gold Upgrade
This is an upgrade to the 136 piece Liberty Head $2-1/2 Gold Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1840-1907). A complete set of half eagles running from 1796 to 1929 is only 182 pieces. So, about 75% of an Quarter Eagle set would be the Liberty Heads. PCGS describes the set as: This is one of the longest-lived series in all of numismatics, beginning more than two decades before the Civil War and lasting into the 20th century. It is a challenging but not impossible set, with the ultra-rare 1854-S being the number one key. Charlotte and Dahlonega gold coins are sprinkled throughout the set, adding greatly to the appeal. Of course, there are some tough-to-locate pieces from New Orleans, San Francisco and Philadelphia, too. A few collectors have completed this set in the past and now it’s your turn!
In comparison to half eagles, I feel the quarter eagles are underappreciated. PCGS describes the quarter eagles as: The $2.50 gold piece, or Quarter Eagle was the smallest gold coin specified in the original Mint Act of 1792. The half dimes through dollars were silver; the cent and half cent were copper. First coined in 1796 (a year after the Half Eagle and Eagle) the initial design lacked stars on the obverse. It is a one year type, and with a miniscule mintage of only 963 pieces, perhaps 10% or so survive. The only ultra-rarity in this series is the 1854-S. Only about a dozen or so remain from the original mintage of 246 pieces, and all are circulated. Other key dates include the 1796 With Stars, the 1797 and the 1808, also a one year type coin. Some controversy surrounds the 1841 Quarter Eagle, nicknamed the "Little Princess." Originally thought to be a Proof-only issue, it is now believed some Circulation Strikes were made, although no mint records exist. As of now, it is included only in the Set Registry as a Proof.
1898 $2.50 MS67+, PCGS POP 2/0, CAC Approved
This coin is at the top of the PCGS Condition Census report (with one other) for the date. David Akers described the coin as underrated: A moderately scarce date that is usually seen in Unc. or proof. Decidedly underpriced and underrated and actually more rare as a date than the popular 1911-D. (The 1911-D is, however, much more rare in uncirculated condition than the dates of the late 1890's since, although the dates from 1896 to 1899 are generally seen in choice condition, the majority of 1911-D quarter eagles are circulated.) Of the sixteen PCGS specimens graded MS67, this and one other coin has the PCGS + grade. NGC has graded 38 at MS67 and a lone MS68. The other MS67+ CAC specimen was sold in a Legend’s Auction 1/30/2020. In the Legend sale the coin was described as: TIED FOR FINEST GRADED of this low mintage date. This pristine SUPERB GEM is tied with just one other for ABSOULTE FINEST graded. There was no mention of the NGC MS68. The Legend coin realized $8,225. In a recent Heritage sale of a NGC MS67, they place the census at: 38 in 67 (4 in 67+, 4 in 67★), 0 finer (1/20). I not sure if the MS68 coin was graded after the February 2020 Heritage sale. There is a little mystery around the MS68 coin.
The new Hansen coin was recently offered by Witter Coins. The coin was described as: A Top Pop Quarter Eagle with a PCGS Pop of 1 and approved by CAC. Superb luster, sharp strike, and near perfect surfaces make this such a special coin. The ask on the coin was $12,500. They asked $13,500 in an eBay posting. This listing was back in June 2020 timeframe. After viewing some past auction imagines, the coin last appeared in Heritage June 2018 Expo US Coins Signature Auction in Long Beach, CA. In the 2018 description, the coin was described as: The upper reaches of the grading scale eludes all but a few exceptional Superb Gem examples, such as this immaculate 1898 quarter eagle in MS67. The mintage was 24,000 pieces -- about average for the late 1890s -- but there is nothing else average about the coin. Gleaming wheat-gold color radiates mint luster in rose and olive-gold hues. A razor-sharp strike defies the late die state. Neither PCGS nor NGC report a numerically finer example. With no provenance given, the coin realized $4,080.
Great Collections has become a strong pipeline for coin coming into the collection. The coin sold in a Sunday, September 6, 2020 auction, with no fanfare. The coin realized $9,562.50 with only one bid. The auction record is $22,000 in a 1/28/1990 Superior Galleries sale for a NGC MS66 specimen. There is no coin before or since that has broken this $10,000 mark. This is where the story ends for this little lady.
Provenance: (Heritage, 6/2018), Lot #4105, realized $4,080; (Great Collections, 9/2020), Item ID: 872193, realized $9,562.50; D.L. Hansen Collection.
1898 MS67+ Half Eagle, CAC Approved
Certification #35925361, PCGS #7850
PCGSGV: $11,000 / realized $9,562.50
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
One Dollar Gold Upgrade
The D.L. Hansen Collection of One Dollar Gold is at the pinnacle of the registry. The One Dollar Gold Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1849-1889) set is in first place with a registry rating of 1.57 points more than the second place set from the Harry Bass Collection. The Collection has the first place One Dollar Gold, Proof (1859-1889) set with a registry rating of 2.92 points more than the second place set from the Ed Trompeter Collection. As discussed a few weeks ago, The Collection has six out of the eight coins required for the One Dollar Gold, Proof (1849-1858) set. In reference, the Bass and Eliasberg sets were only 50% complete. The key coin missing in the collection is the 1849-C Open Wreath.
This upgrade is the 1889 Gold Dollar which is the final year of production. Expert David Akers commented: The last year of issue for gold dollars, and therefore, widely saved. As a result, this is one of the most common of all gold dollars, and as the auction data indicates, possibly the most common in uncirculated condition. Although a common date, the upgrade is not common in grade. The coin is presently unique in MS68+ condition. The set starts with an 1849 G$1 Open Wreath MS69, PCGS POP 1/0 condition, pedigreed to the Jung Collection. Now, the set ends with an 1889 G$1 MS68+, PCGS POP 1/0 condition, CAC Approved. There are not better bookends possible for this set!
1889 One Dollar Gold MS68+, CAC Approved
This is a story how a POP 1/0 specimen was born. If you prefer, we can use the phrase “created from the common ranks”. The story begins October 24, 2019. The place was Legend Rare Coin Auctions. The sale was Regency Event: Exclusively Legend. The coin was an 1889 PCGS MS68 CAC Approved specimen from THE CORONET GOLD COLLECTION. The coin is just one of two dozen coins graded MS68 by PCGS and NGC standards. Legend indicates the CAC POP for these coins is four (16.6%). We know the coin was special from the start because being described as: And the heavyweight champion of 1889 Gold Dollars is: THIS COIN! OMG is this a winner! And it's REALLY HIGH END too!
Legend described the last MS68 CAC that was sold as: The last 1889 PCGS CAC in MS68 to sell in auction brought $12,337 in September 2016. You can look as hard as you want, we doubt any other 1889 (and few other G $1s ) will put on a color show like this beauty! Also, the legitimate rarity of this coin can not be overstated. You do not have to be building any kind of a set to want to own a killer coin like this. Just as reference, there were six 1889 MS68 coins sold between the September 2016 sale and this Legend sale October 24, 2019. The price that was realized ranged from $5280 to $8519. The coin realized $14,687.50!
Legend called out the reason they saw for this coin not being a MS68+ in this description: Out of this world surfaces are incredibly clean and smooth. Only when using a strong glass can you find ONE single microscopic grease dot on the reverse. We think that is what keeps this coin from an MS68+. An intense luster beams from all over. Mother Nature did yet another magnificent job with the colors. Heart pounding reddish gold swirls over deep yellow gold on both sides. The coin looks like it is on fire! Miss Liberty and the details are lightly frosted and are perfectly struck. The eye appeal is incredible!
Well as the story evolves, the coin is upgrade by PCGS at some point between October 2019 and when the coin appeared in a second Legend Rare Coin Auction on March 26th, 2020, The Regency 37 sale. This time the coin made the unique MS68+ PCGS holder with CAC Approval. Legends like the coin a little better this time and described the coin as: Extraordinary surfaces are satiny smooth and are super clean. There is one small Mint grease spot on the reverse (which is what we think keeps this stunner from a MS69)! A bold vibrant luster beams from all over. Both sides are bathed is a stunning and totally original mix of yellow/orange gold colors. Miss Liberty and the details are frosted and are needle sharp in strike. The eye appeal is totally gonzo! They added by saying: We have seen and handled MANY SUPERB GEM Gold Dollars in our time. This coin unquestionably ranks among the very FINEST! This is the ONLY MS68+ graded. This coin clearly will be a treasure/lead coin in any great collection it is placed in. If you are building a box of 20, a Type set, or a Gold Dollar set, this coin is an easy fit. Good luck! The coin set an auction record when it realized $24,675.
I am not sure who purchased the coin in the March 26th, 2020 sale. The coin appeared for a third time when David Lawrence Rare Coins offered the coin in late August 2020 for $26,390. The coin was described as: 1889 G$1 PCGS/CAC MS68+ Sole Finest Known! - 1 Gold Coin - Sole Finest Known! The finest known example from a low mintage of 28,950 coins. Vibrant luster beams from extraordinarily preserved surfaces bathed in rich honey gold patina with tangerine highlights throughout. The design elements are softly frosted and struck with razor sharp detail. The eye appeal is phenomenal! CAC approved for quality. PCGS+ grade for premium quality at the top of end of the assigned grade.
We may never know the final sale price on the coin. PCGS has not established a value for the coin. I would think the price realized in the Legends Auction would be a good base to start with. The coin sold for a nice premium in the first sale, but it still was unvalued when comparing to the second Legend sale where the coin realized $10,000 more. The coin does make a nice addition to The Collection.
1889 One Dollar Gold MS68+, CAC Approved
Certification #32601847, PCGS #7590
PCGSGV: Unknown / realized $24,675 (March 26th, 2020)
Ex: The Coronet Gold Collection
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Bob Simpson Upgrade
The Collection upgraded a coin purchase in the first Bob Simpson Mega sale offered by Heritage Auctions. The Heritage September 17, 2020 sale of Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part I, was a success in my opinion. The pace of the sale seem a little slow, and they appeared to experience a technical difficulty early in the sale. I am on the east coast, so I did not watch to the end, and I have not seen a press release yet. Before the start of patterns, the sale had already exceeded $10,000,000. It will be very interesting to see the final sale results.
The first coin I have seen posting as an update in the collection is a very nice half dime. We have discussed the half dime collection several times in the past three years. This half dime update is in the Early Half Dimes Basic, Circulation Strikes (1792-1837) set. PCGS describes the set as: This "little" set is a big numismatic challenge that contains two of the most highly-regarded classics from early America. The 1792 half disme leads off the set, the "small beginning" that George Washington referred to that was actually struck in the private home of John Harper before the Philadelphia Mint opened. The other major rarity is the 1802 half dime, a coin that is extremely rare in all grades. There is also a two-year Flowing Hair design from 1794-95, the Small Eagle coins of 1796-97, the Large Eagle issues of 1800-1805 and the Capped Bust pieces of 1829-37. The little 19 coin set already had four Ex: Simpson specimens. This new addition makes number five. This is a prime indicator just how good this set is. (Added note: There are two additional coins in the second set. Total Simpson half dimes is seven!)
With this update, The Collection is now #1 all-time in the registry and surpasses the famous and historic D. Brent Pogue Collection of Early Half Dimes. This is the first for Hansen’s sets. Excluding coppers, Mr. Pogue has registry dominance in the Early Sets. The only other lost that he has suffered is at the hands (or discriminative eyes) of Bruce Morelan in Early Dollars. That world class set will be broken up in the next few weeks. With only being done twice now, this should be a pretty significant accomplish to surpass the Pogue Collection for number one in an early set.
1795 LM-9, Half Dime, MS67, Ex: Knoxville/Parrino/Simpson
Heritage described the coin as “Outstanding”. I think this is fitting, even without CAC Approval. The coin is described as: This Superb Gem has highly lustrous surfaces with splendid sky-blue, gold, and crimson toning. Those surfaces are essentially flawless, aside from a few mint-caused adjustment marks on the obverse. Slight evidence of strike weakness is noted at the centers, typical of the variety and of the type. The impression is nicely centered on the planchet with slight border weakness at the lower right obverse, the result of the aforementioned adjustment marks. PCGS has certified three Flowing Hair half dimes at the MS67 level, and all three are dated 1795, with none in finer grades (4/20). The other two MS67 coins are both from the LM-10 die pair, suggesting that the present piece is the finest known 1795 LM-9 half dime.
The coin is described relatively scarce. This is the LM-9 variety as described by Heritage: An obverse die crack extends from the border through the Y of LIBERTY to Liberty's nose and cheek. That die crack developed during the previous marriage with LM-8, and is always present on the LM-9 die marriage offered here. Our resident expert Ron Guth comment: 1795 Half Dimes are relatively scarce as type coins go and there are several varieties (see below) that are quite rare. However, as scarce as they might be, 1795 Half Dimes are easily obtained in Mint State, including in Gem condition. This is also one fo the few early U.S. type coins that can be found in MS67 condition.
The coin is first traced to Knoxville Collection and later Jay Parrino (The Mint). There are a couple coins as equal in grade. The first being the Pogue Specimen which sold for auction record of $176,250 in May 2015. That coin could be considered the best 1795 Half Dime. The coin is a different variety, a LM-10. The other MS67 is pedigreed to James W. Lull Collection. From auction images, the new coin appeared in a Heritage Auction July 2003 Signature Sale in Baltimore, MD. For some unknown reason, the sale does not appear in the PCGS Condition Census table. The coin realized $94,875. The next appearance was the Stack's January 2007 sale where the coin realized $184,000. Maybe the 2003 sale is best forgotten.
Bob R. Simpson may have purchase the coin the Stack's 2007 sale. If so, he kept the coin off the market for about 13 years. Also if he purchased the coin in the 2007 sale for $184,000, then the coin did not retained its value. PCGS valued the 1795 half dime at $175,000. The coin realized $132,000. I don’t know the CAC history or lack of on this coin. It still appears to be a great coin even without the sticker.
Provenance: Knoxville Collection; Jay Parrino (The Mint); Signature Sale (Heritage Auction July 2003), lot #6408, realized $94,875, (Stack's 1/2007), lot #352, realized $184,000; Bob R. Simpson Collection, (Heritage 9/2020), lot 1310, realized $132,000, D.L. Hansen Collection.
1795 LM-9, Half Dime, MS67
Certification #40323764, PCGS #4251
PCGSGV: $175,000 / realized $$132,000
Ex: Knoxville/Parrino/Simpson
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Beautiful coin
Latin American Collection
I saw the coin in hand, truly lovely. I'm amazed such a small fragile coin could travel 225 years and remain as made. Goes without saying he owners have taken great care, as i highly suspect the new steward will for years to come.
Bob Simpson Upgrade #2
The Collection has updated a second coin from the first Bob Simpson Mega sale offered by Heritage Auctions. The results for the 2020 September 17 Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part I has been posted on the Heritage website. The first sale grossed $14,600,000. There were 349 coins offered, so the price realized per coin was $41,833. This is an impressive start with five sales remaining.
We have discussed the buffalo nickel collection a few months ago. This set is a struggle for new collectors because almost all of the high end coins are in the top two sets. As I wrote in last update: The #1 Registry Buffalo Nickel Set is the HOF Forsythe Set. The set is a long standing set that has maintained the award of the best of the registry since 2005. The set received its HOF status in 2005. It will be difficult, really impossible for Hansen to overcome this set. To make matters even grimmer, JDG Trust Collection has an amazing set of Buffalos that is rank #2.
The Forsythe set has 50 finest PCGS certified in a 64 coin set. Of those 50, eight are PCGS POP 1/0 specimens. Amazing! This leaves a little meat on the bone. The JDG Trust set has 29 finest PCGS certified in a 64 coin set. Of those 29, three are PCGS POP 1/0 specimens. That leaves the Hansen set with 13 finest PCGS certified and only one PCGS POP 1/0 certified, 1928-D MS67. This new Simpson coin is the second PCGS POP 1/0 for this difficult set.
1918 Buffalo Nickel, MS67+, Ex: Simpson
Heritage described the coin as “Superior Registry Candidate, None Finer”. The coin is in one of Simpson’s new PCGS holders, so it is possible the coin was upgrade prior to the sell. I have not been able to make that determination. The coin is described as: With a substantial mintage of 32 million coins, the 1918 is a surprisingly challenging Philadelphia issue to locate in high grades, and the average certified assessment falls shy of MS61. There are only 13 Superb Gem submissions at PCGS and two at NGC, and neither service has seen a coin finer than this. Pastel shades of violet and powder-blue color the centers of this Superb Gem, while the outer areas show bands of gold, peach-orange, and rose patina. Eye appeal and technical quality make this an unsurpassed Registry candidate.
Expert David Hall comments on the 1918: The 1918 is about as rare as other early Philadelphia Mints in circulated grades. In Gem condition, the 1918 is the rarest P Mint Buffalo nickel. It is about equal in rarity to the 1913-D Type 2 and 1914-D. Strike for the 1918 is usually very sharp and luster is usually not a problem. While rare in Gem condition, when you do find one it is usually very nice. Th Simpson MS67+ coin replaces 1918 MS66+, Certification #38684977, POP 12/13 in the set.
It is not certain to me where and when the Simpson Collection may have purchased the coin. The new cert number on the Simpson coin makes it difficult to trace the provenance. If anyone can assist, please do so. There were six Buffalo Nickels in circulation strike offered in the sale. This was the best one and realized $55,200. PCGS Price Guide values the coin at $65,000. The coin sold below the price value. This coin makes the second PCGS POP 1/0 Buffalo Nickel in the collection. This is a nice addition to a set in progress.
1918 Buffalo Nickel, MS67+, POP 1/0, Ex: Simpson
Certification #40323107, PCGS #3937
PCGSGV: $65,000 / realized $55,200
Ex: Simpson
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Beautiful coin
Latin American Collection
I love that coin!
His set's are now closed, at least the ones I checked. Guess I can't check what slots have been upgraded.
Nice to see @DLHansen pick up some of Bob's coins. They found a good home!
I'm really curious to see what happens with @tradedollarnut's sale!
Looks like someone kicked sand, took his toys and hid them.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
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I am too. There seem to be more focus of late with the early US coinage. Hopefully that will translate to the early dollars. The set could use a little sprucing up.
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Will this put a crimp in Currin's review of his quest?
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
As some of you may know, Mr. Hansen has been navigating a degree of personal upheaval and intensified media scrutiny in the past several weeks. As a result, he has decided to take measures to further safeguard his family’s privacy at this time. In that vein, Mr. Hansen’s Registry Sets will be temporarily non-viewable to the public eye. Thank you for respecting Mr. Hansen’s wishes to proceed more privately with his collection at this time. He would like to thank you for your understanding as well as assure you of his continued love and support for the numismatic community.
Mr. Hansen also asked that I give a special thanks to Currin for his work with the Hansen watch. He has thoroughly enjoyed the research and the conversations that this thread has produced over the past several years.
As for now, please feel free to reach out to me directly at john@davidlawrence.com if you have any questions regarding the collection or if you have coins that you would be interested in offering.
We'd like to reiterate that this is by no means the end of the collection. While he has reached some of his goals, Mr. Hansen will continue to be a vital part of the community as he pursues the hobby that has brought him so much joy. He truly looks forward to the opportunity where he can joyfully re-engage with the collecting community in the near future.
President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com
email: John@davidlawrence.com
2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
I too want to thank everyone that has followed along the last two and a half years as we have seen this collection grow tremendously. I personally agree as John Brush stated that some of this collector’s goals have been meet, but I also feel there are still more to go. As I have reported and kept the community updated, there are 13 coins remaining in the quest and 22 remaining in the circulate strike major varieties. As stated by John the pursuit continues, it will be entertaining to watch and see how many of 35 coins can be obtained. I know of three that will be offered in auctions this fall or early next year.
I have not been asked to stop my updates or close this thread. This temporary condition will make it hard for me to be as descriptive, and to understand the depth and contents of the sets. BUT.. For example, I am aware of three additional Simpson coins that were purchased in the Part 1 sale. I was planning to report on the coins and will do so at the best of my ability. As someone stated, this does put a crimp on what we see and what we know as a community. But with that said, I do understand the situation.
I am not one to give up when the circumstances change or get hard. We now have a new temporary playing field. We saw this weekend football teams hit the field without fans. They made it work. It will be my job to see if I can make this temporary situation work. For those that care, wish me well, and of course, continue to watch.
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
Glad you are continuing. Must be a labor of love to catalogue this! Thank you.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
OMG...His saint pictures are gone...
I enjoyed clicking through his set during breakfast.
There were a few I used for wallpaper so I still have them.
My Saint Set
For a number of reasons, I wasn't really a fan of the accumulation prior to the recent news. I tried to keep an open mind but the more I learned about the person and the collection, I realized it wasn't for me. In light of recent news, I'm really not a fan now. I can't be supportive like others are. I might be the only one that is outspoken about it but I (and others I know) can't support DLRC with business as long as there is a relationship with someone that has so many terrible allegations against them from so many different sources. At least I know the MLS (among others) feels the same way. I know Twitter was on fire with the news. Will the lack of my business and a few others be enough to impact DLRC? No, absolutely not. I'm sure the compensation and business from a billionaire is far greater. Greed is good for some. For me, some things are just more important than money. It will be a good day when this accumulation is sold. I feel that morals are far more important. As far as Currin's continued support, he is either well compensated or genuinely loves expensive coins that he does not own more than anyone else out there, regardless of any possible questionable morality. Since PCGS is a publicly traded company, it will be interesting to see how many articles they write about the accumulation moving forward or if they carefully distance themselves from the person.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Please quit your politically correct whining and stick to coins. I follow this site (as well as Hanson's collection, DLRC, etc) because I love coins. I couldn't care less about the twitter BS or politically motivated actions against (or by) Mr. Hanson. If a crime has been committed, the judicial system will deal with it; if someone is wronged, they can sue; if you and others want to boycott Hanson/DLRC, you are free to do so in an attempt to affect them economically--but I don't want to hear about it on a coin forum.
keyman64--get over yourself.
Check out some of my 1794 Large Cents on www.coingallery.org
If you (or anyone else) desires pictures of any of the coins in the collection, just shoot me an email! I'm happy to help.
john@davidlawrence.com
President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com
email: John@davidlawrence.com
2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
Good morning, I agree with Srotag. This is a coin forum. What happens in life is not relevant. We follow and enjoy what DLH is doing regarding coins.
I believe Mr. Hanson's words and feelings were taken out of context. It appears he believes games should go on and are not
a place for protest. This has nothing to do with the cause. He believes as I do, that boycotting games is the wrong forum to protest a cause. ANY cause. If athletes want to do it, we must keep quiet and deal with it.
I also do not believe players should kneel during the National Anthem.
That does NOT mean I am against their cause. It is not a slight against black people. if they were kneeling to protest abortion or capital punishment I would feel the same way.
Hopefully we move past this and continue to read what Currin can figure out on the DLH new purchases. I am sure JB will
help in that regard.