New purchase: 1852-O Seated quarter.

Here is an 1852-O Seated quarter that I was fortunate to acquire as part of the set I bought last week. Those of you who collect Seated quarters will recognize the 1852-O as one of the most difficult issues to find in high grade. Someone mentioned here a few days ago that the Eliasberg 1852-O was a choice AU with a huge "X" scratched into it. If that's the best Mr. Eliasberg could do, then you can be assured that it is difficult to acquire a nice specimen of this date. In addition, the Pittman specimen was a harshly cleaned AU example, according to the Heritage auction archives (no picture). A PCGS MS63 example of this date with a soft strike brought $126,500 in a 2007 Heritage sale.
This example was very lightly cleaned or dipped at one time, but fortunately, there are just some scattered light hairlines on the obverse. It isn't a miserably scrubbed or whizzed coin, but it isn't close to original, either. It was stored in a Library of Coins album since about 1961, and it now has flecks of colored toning here and there, minimizing the effects of the cleaning. I believe the previous owner and I net-graded it to XF when we priced the coins.
I feel guilty owning this coin because I know many dedicated Seated quarter collectors have searched diligently for this date with no luck for years, but I just bought it as part of a set, completing the Seated quarter series in one swoop. That cheapens the thrill of the hunt somewhat, and possibly makes a few of my fellow collectors want to bring physical harm to both me and my coins. Perhaps some day I will pass it around at a coin club meeting, and it will be returned to me with a large "X" scratched into the obverse. That would explain a lot of things.
Hope you enjoyed seeing it.
This example was very lightly cleaned or dipped at one time, but fortunately, there are just some scattered light hairlines on the obverse. It isn't a miserably scrubbed or whizzed coin, but it isn't close to original, either. It was stored in a Library of Coins album since about 1961, and it now has flecks of colored toning here and there, minimizing the effects of the cleaning. I believe the previous owner and I net-graded it to XF when we priced the coins.
I feel guilty owning this coin because I know many dedicated Seated quarter collectors have searched diligently for this date with no luck for years, but I just bought it as part of a set, completing the Seated quarter series in one swoop. That cheapens the thrill of the hunt somewhat, and possibly makes a few of my fellow collectors want to bring physical harm to both me and my coins. Perhaps some day I will pass it around at a coin club meeting, and it will be returned to me with a large "X" scratched into the obverse. That would explain a lot of things.


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Comments
Every one I've seen has had the same flat had. But yours doesn't have the corresponding weakness on the back. The MS63 as I recall did have a flat spot on the reverse as well. Undertand that the $120K price for that MS63 was probably only due to 2 people that had to have it. It only brought $25K or so at the Richmond sale a few years earlier. Would not be surprised to see it bring under $30K if sold off today. I recall seeing a flat head unc in NYCity back in the early 1980's at a local shop. I wonder if that's the same coin?
Is there a 42-0 SD or 72-s in that set? I love those 2 dates.
roadrunner
The 1842-O SD was missing, and I have to go shopping now. There was a lightly scratched VF+ 1842-O LD in the hole, and I ALMOST didn't look at it when we were pricing the coins... 5 straight hrs. of grading and pricing will do that to you. Unfortunately, the previous owner was not so lucky, and I think he paid $700 for it in the 1980s. I believe I bought it for $40. He wasn't smiling when I pointed it out to him.
The 1872-S has major damage, but the 1871-S is a beautiful, original VG-10 to F-12 with a few scuffs. I will forgive the original collector for the horrible 1872-S because he included two examples of 1873-CC Arr. in the collection, and one of them is really nice.
Ray
While the rare CC's and 49-0 catalogued for a ton, the "lowly" 42-0 SD was lost in the shuffle. Yet it was as rare as the 49-0 and probably on par with the 70-cc and 71-cc. I never did find one until last year when I purchased a simple Anacs Good-8 off Ebay for $650. Nice trouble free coin with a couple of letters of liberty showing. I don't think the 42-0 SD has ever been available in the market. And it took me 33 years to finally step up and get one. Yet, one could pop up and be stupidly cheap when it does, even today based on a lowly CDN value of 1/3 to 1/4 it's real price.
Tuff on the 72-s. Most are cleaned and damaged. I've never owned a decent one.
roadrunner
<< <i>The MS63 as I recall did have a flat spot on the reverse as well. Undertand that the $120K price for that MS63 was probably only due to 2 people that had to have it. It only brought $25K or so at the Richmond sale a few years earlier. Would not be surprised to see it bring under $30K if sold off today. >>
This coin is in the FUN sale - we shall know soon!
Buying top quality Seated Dimes in Gem BU and Proof.
Buying great coins - monster eye appeal only.
<< <i>
<< <i>The MS63 as I recall did have a flat spot on the reverse as well. Undertand that the $120K price for that MS63 was probably only due to 2 people that had to have it. It only brought $25K or so at the Richmond sale a few years earlier. Would not be surprised to see it bring under $30K if sold off today. >>
This coin is in the FUN sale - we shall know soon! >>
January 2006
November 2007
January 2009
churn churn churn!
Ed. S.
(EJS)
Regardless of what is in MS slabs, I still consider the date unknown in honest or true mint state.
roadrunner