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Filthy, crusty southern gold on my desk this morning...

RegulatedRegulated Posts: 2,992 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

I just received an old, old friend this morning and got a couple of decent photos of her for posterity. The coin in question is one of about a dozen C. Bechtler No 75. G, Coarse Beads Quarter Eagles known to exist. These were the earliest Bechtler Quarter Eagles, and are only the second privately minted Quarter Eagles in the United States, after the 1830 Templeton Reid $2 1/2s.

This example was unknown until around seven years ago, when the woman who owned it called me up because she had questions about what she thought was a "better Bechtler $2 1/2" - all Bechtler $2 1/2s are pretty scarce, but when she sent me a dark cell phone picture of it, I was stunned, as these Beaded Border coins do not show up with any real frequency.

It turns out that the coin in question was a family heirloom that had been passed down from mother to daughter since 1850. She had never married or had children, and had some expensive home repairs to pay for, so it was time to put the coin out into the world.

She sent the coin to me, and when it arrived, I was blown away with its originality and luster - it had only a faint hint of wear on the semi-prooflike surfaces, and had been stored in a fairly neutral environment, so it had only toned a tiny bit, but it still had a lot of original dirt clinging to its protected areas. It went out for grading the next day, and was sold within two weeks for about four times the cost of the home repairs, which really pleased its owner.

Anyhow, if you want to see absolutely fresh, original, never been messed with by a dealer surfaces, here they are:




What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake

Comments

  • shorecollshorecoll Posts: 5,446 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Extreeeemmmllllyyy Cool!!!

    ANA-LM, NBS, EAC
  • cmerlo1cmerlo1 Posts: 7,929 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow.

    You Suck! Awarded 6/2008- 1901-O Micro O Morgan, 8/2008- 1878 VAM-123 Morgan, 9/2022 1888-O VAM-1B3 H8 Morgan | Senior Regional Representative- ANACS Coin Grading. Posted opinions on coins are my own, and are not an official ANACS opinion.
  • goldengolden Posts: 9,904 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Best coin of the day!

  • OGDanOGDan Posts: 3,749 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Super cool story and coin.

  • ashelandasheland Posts: 23,445 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Extremely cool!

    My YouTube Channel

  • AblinkyAblinky Posts: 628 ✭✭✭

    Love it

    Andrew Blinkiewicz-Heritage

  • cheezhedcheezhed Posts: 5,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Incredible.

    Many happy BST transactions
  • OuthaulOuthaul Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Amazing.

  • JJSingletonJJSingleton Posts: 1,401 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What a great looking Bechtler. Nothing better than good ol' gold from southern Appalachia!

    Joseph J. Singleton - First Superintendent of the U.S. Branch Mint in Dahlonega Georgia

    Findley Ridge Collection
    About Findley Ridge

  • numbersmannumbersman Posts: 1,039 ✭✭✭✭

    Filthy,just filthy!

    Collector of numeral seals.That's the 1928 and 1928A series of FRNs with a number rather than a letter in the district seal. Owner/operator of Bottom Line Currency
  • AlexinPAAlexinPA Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Magnificent!

  • jonrunsjonruns Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow that's awesome!!!

  • BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Likely best coin of the month. Very very nice.

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,638 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Now that's a family heirloom indeed.

  • UnknownUnknown
    This content has been removed.
  • LoveMyLibertyLoveMyLiberty Posts: 1,784 ✭✭✭

    This is a wonderful coin.

    Question: I assume this was a first series piece "Weightless",
    why was the 75 grain put on the NGC slab ?

    My Type Set

    R.I.P. Bear image
  • jonrunsjonruns Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The slab says "No 75G" because there is a version WITH the 75G...unfortunately the photo is from CoinFacts not my collection...

  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,571 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very neat coin, and I really enjoyed the background story about it.
    Thanks for taking the time.

    Successful BST transactions with 171 members. Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • Downtown1974Downtown1974 Posts: 6,891 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Superb!

    MY GOLD TYPE SET https://pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/complete-type-sets/gold-type-set-12-piece-circulation-strikes-1839-1933/publishedset/321940

  • earlyAurumearlyAurum Posts: 746 ✭✭✭✭✭

    very cool coin and story.

  • messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,105 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Exceedingly cool!

    John
    Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
  • StaircoinsStaircoins Posts: 2,577 ✭✭✭

    Oh my.

    If any coin were to deserve the exceedingly rare and coveted “Does not suck” designation, ’twould be that one.

  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 9,166 ✭✭✭✭✭

    And this beauty has been rediscovered and properly preserved. Wonder if we'll see it again.

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  • coinsarefuncoinsarefun Posts: 21,749 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yeahhhh, I gotta say way to crusty and really not down your alley. Just mail it to me.

    CoinsAreFun Pictorials Album
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  • CharlotteDudeCharlotteDude Posts: 3,105 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What a cool, cool coin. Gotta love the story behind it, also.

    Got Crust....y gold?
  • blackhorse360blackhorse360 Posts: 300 ✭✭✭

    I love that!

  • CameonutCameonut Posts: 7,325 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great coin!
    Was the owner from North Carolina?

    “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson

    My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!

  • RegulatedRegulated Posts: 2,992 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Cameonut said:
    Great coin!
    Was the owner from North Carolina?

    She was - her family lived right around the corner from where they were being struck.


    What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
  • Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    OMG, amazing !!! :)

    Timbuk3
  • LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,437 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow - that really is special - thanks for posting it. :+1:

    "My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko, Big Moose, Cardinal.
  • habaracahabaraca Posts: 2,039 ✭✭✭✭✭

    just in case I run into one of those some day...... what should I be willing to pay for her?

  • RegulatedRegulated Posts: 2,992 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @habaraca said:
    just in case I run into one of those some day...... what should I be willing to pay for her?

    This one sold for $110K back when it came up - since then a finer example came to light, so it's probably a bit less.


    What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
  • BlindedByEgoBlindedByEgo Posts: 10,754 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow. The backstory is as interesting as the coin. Thanks!

    Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1

  • RegulatedRegulated Posts: 2,992 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @joconnor said:
    "never been messed with by a dealer surfaces"

    Why do you think only dealers "mess" with coins?

    I don't think that it's only dealers who mess with coins, but my experience with coins that are messed with by non-professionals is that they don't end up with an aesthetic calculated to appeal to the sensibilities of the TPGs.


    What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
  • RegulatedRegulated Posts: 2,992 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jonruns said:
    The slab says "No 75G" because there is a version WITH the 75G...unfortunately the photo is from CoinFacts not my collection...

    That's my #1 favorite Bechtler of all time - it's a point undergraded and so, so gorgeous!


    What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
  • tommy44tommy44 Posts: 2,304 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yowzers! I like it a lot.

    it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide

  • OldhoopsterOldhoopster Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Regulated said:

    @habaraca said:
    just in case I run into one of those some day...... what should I be willing to pay for her?

    This one sold for $110K back when it came up - since then a finer example came to light, so it's probably a bit less.

    Darn, I was doing some quick math to see if I could raid the kids college fund. Oh well

    Member of the ANA since 1982
  • ParadisefoundParadisefound Posts: 8,588 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What a beauty and very happy for the Lady <3

  • KellenCoinKellenCoin Posts: 1,236 ✭✭✭✭

    Thank you as always for sharing some of the cool, rare coins you get to experience.

    Fan of the Oxford Comma
    CCAC Representative of the General Public
    2021 Young Numismatist of the Year

  • CWT1863CWT1863 Posts: 316 ✭✭✭✭

    Amazing coin! Great background story too.

    ANA-LM, CWTS-LM, NBS, TAMS, ANS

  • topstuftopstuf Posts: 14,803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Private gold issues are fascinating. I only have one.
    I think that's gonna change.
    Course, it won't be of the caliber of the OP.

    Great coin!
    I often wonder what's "out there" in attics and basements. :):)

  • sellitstoresellitstore Posts: 3,043 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very nice coin and find for the owner.

    Every time another rarity comes out of the woodwork, you wonder how many more can still be hiding....yet new discoveries and new material continues to surface year after year.

    Collector and dealer in obsolete currency. Always buying all obsolete bank notes and scrip.
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 16, 2019 3:38PM

    You get to play with the best toys

    m

    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • bidaskbidask Posts: 14,017 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How did she know to call the best ??........You!

    I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
    I give away money. I collect money.
    I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.




  • kazkaz Posts: 9,227 ✭✭✭✭✭

    On what other venue would the words "filthy, crusty" draw immediate attention? (better not answer).

    Love the coin. All Bechtlers are cool, this one in a very small group at the top!

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Fantastic... what a great old gold coin.... No doubt there are still other treasures hidden away in family collections...There seem to be one or two each year....I wish I had some family heirlooms... Since I am the oldest living in my family, I can assure you that all the heirlooms are my collection... since none of my predecessors had any. Oh well... maybe I have a long lost uncle somewhere... :D:D Cheers, RickO

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