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The Rarest Thing You'll See Today
Regulated
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I just had this coin graded for a client of mine - it is the only known 1855 $20 Wass Molitor K-8a, an emergency issue from a two-week period in 1855 when the San Francisco Mint was closed due to parting acid shortages.
All Wass $20s are scarce coins, but examples made with the Large Head obverse are incredibly rare, with only four specimens traced. Of these, one is in the Smithsonian and another was stolen from DuPont, leaving only two collectible examples for the entire type. This specimen is struck with a different reverse than the other three, which adds to its allure (although I would be stoked to have one of the three known examples of the other variety, too)...
Interestingly, before the Riverboat Sale in 2014, the last public offering of a Large Head Wass $20 was in Amon Carter (1984), and at that point it had been over 40 years since one had come up!
All Wass $20s are scarce coins, but examples made with the Large Head obverse are incredibly rare, with only four specimens traced. Of these, one is in the Smithsonian and another was stolen from DuPont, leaving only two collectible examples for the entire type. This specimen is struck with a different reverse than the other three, which adds to its allure (although I would be stoked to have one of the three known examples of the other variety, too)...
Interestingly, before the Riverboat Sale in 2014, the last public offering of a Large Head Wass $20 was in Amon Carter (1984), and at that point it had been over 40 years since one had come up!
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
27
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Coin Rarities Online
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
Coin Rarities Online
siliconvalleycoins.com
Already CACed!
Next day air does wonders
Guess we now need to add "NGH" to our coin vocabulary for that New (Old) Green Holder look?
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Now that is really cool. I never knew a Large Head Wass Molitor existed!
They're on the VERY short list of Pioneer Gold issues that I wasn't sure that I would ever get to handle. The device punch for the head on this one is the same one that they used on the $50.
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
Andrew Blinkiewicz-Heritage
I like the holder/label etc.
Not really looking for much these days but if I were, it might be a toner.
Not a knock on the coin, obviously -- that's amazing, and I've certainly never seen one -- but I would not have supposed that to be its grade if you'd shown it to us "blind."
Regulated, can you comment on the AU50 grade? Were those struck with very weak detail in the first place?
Not a knock on the coin, obviously -- that's amazing, and I've certainly never seen one -- but I would not have supposed that to be its grade if you'd shown it to us "blind."
Because they were all emergency issues, almost every Wass Molitor (of every year and denomination) is weakly struck, so you have to grade them based upon surface, rather than sharpness.
Obviously, that's pretty tough to do with a photo on the internet, but there's a fair amount of residual luster on both sides of the piece - it's mostly apparent on the reverse, where you can see the deep, coppery toning in the protected areas, but you can also see some luster around the stars on the obverse. All of this is much more evident in-hand.
The same reverse die was used to strike the more commonly encountered Small Head $20s - I have seen Mint State examples that had reverse details comparable to this one. The coin definitely makes the grade and deserves the green bean, although when you're dealing with something that's unique, grade is almost beside the point.
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
Also -- I know your office is in Marin County; is it your impression that a lot of this California gold is still in Northern California or even the Bay Area more specifically, or has it mostly dispersed to serious collectors around the country or around the world?
Thanks for the explanation. Some of the luster comes through in the pics, obverse especially. Very informative, thanks for sharing this.
Also -- I know your office is in Marin County; is it your impression that a lot of this California gold is still in Northern California or even the Bay Area more specifically, or has it mostly dispersed to serious collectors around the country or around the world?
Most Pioneer Gold has been dispersed, but every once in a while something mind-blowing shows up. A couple years ago, I had someone walk in with a holed Dubosq $10 that would otherwise have graded choice AU58. About seven years ago, a guy came in who had dug up a Humbert $50 - it still had some crud encrusted on it. After I conserved it, it graded MS65 - obviously a winner...
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
"Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.
Come on CRO - get with it.
I know you want it for its special 30th anniversary holder.
I've never heard of this type of piece before, but a quick google search uncovered this...
Latin American Collection
Coinfame,Kaelasdad,Type2,UNLVino,MICHAELDIXON
Justacommeman,tydye,78saen,123cents,blue62vette,Segoja,Nibanny
Some information for a previous owner on this coin for those interested - Virgil Brand owned this coin. And Brand also owned the other variety of the large head $20 Regulated mentioned. AND he also owned the unique pattern piece of the large head $20.
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
The device punch for the head on this one is the same one that they used on the Small Head $50. The real challenge will be to find a Large Head $50.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
Lance.
You can now! : )
Very cool.
Hoard the keys.
What a great coin... thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the education.
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
Very cool coin!
Thanks for posting it.
Thanks for sharing both the coin and its history. Speaking of gold rarities coming out of California, did the top rarities from the Saddle Ridge Hoard eventually sell and if so how close to their initial estimated prices? Also what percentage of the common date ones have not yet sold out and has the secondary market been strong for those that have been sold?
Thanks for sharing. Learned something today!