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Images courtesy of Ira
& Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles
Notes:
The finest example graded by PCGS is a single MS-62.
Significant examples:
PCGS MS-62 (illustrated
above). Ex - Stack's ANA sale, August 1976, Lot 2998 - Bowers and
Merena's Harry Bass Part II sale, October 1999, Lot 1188 where it realized
$66,125 - Ira
& Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc.'s "The California
Sale", October 2-3, 2000, Lot 915 @$48,300.00, where it was described (in part)
as follows: "Lustrous orange-gold in color, with a scattering of
shallow tick marks, none deep or noteworthy.
From the October 1999 Harry Bass Sale by Bowers and Merena, this
magnificent coin is almost certainly the finest known of the date. The
PCGS Population Report notes only one other coin graded as Mint State 61,
and below that a pair that rate as AU-55, from there only 7 have been
graded in the two grades of EF. Hence, this is a major rarity in grades
above Very Fine, with a mintage of 7,416. Conditions in Carson City were
pretty wild in the 1870s, numismatists were generally unknown at the time,
and coins were collected by date, not by branch mint. The nation's economy
took a nose dive in 1873, hence even fewer coins were issued than prior
years, and not many people were well enough off to set aside a gold coin
as something to save and preserve. The production of coins in 1873 saw
rapid entry into circulation, most coins of this date and mint are found
in very low grades, frequently with numerous circulation marks well beyond
those expected for the wear received.
Here is a remarkable exception, perhaps it was saved to commemorate a
birth and passed down from family member to family member. Whatever the
case, this is a beautiful coin and one of the rarest Carson City half
eagles. Collectors that have years of experience under their belts know
that finding a Carson City half eagle of this date in grades of extremely
fine is an important opportunity. Experts Douglas Winter and Lawrence
Cutler in their book on Carson City coins stated "No Mint State
1873-CC half eagles are known to exist." This coin was purchased by
Harry Bass in August 1976, and with today's current grading standards is
available to connoisseurs of the series.
The sale of many of the Harry Bass coins provides an opportunity for gold
collectors that will probably never be repeated, important rarities,
sometimes in small quantities, are available and many of these coins have
been offered in subsequent auctions a time or two. Soon they will all be
tucked away in collections, scattered to the winds, and may not be
available again for decades. Here is yet another opportunity to purchase
this famous rarity, the finest graded 1873-CC half eagle."
Recent appearances:
PCGS AU-53. Ex - J.J. Teaparty -
Henry S. Lang collection - Bowers and Merena Galleries "The Rarities
Sale", July 31, 2002, Lot 610, illustrated, sold for $18,975.00
PCGS EF-45. Ex - Bowers and Merena
Galleries, "The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, Part IV Sale",
November 20-21, 2000, Lot 518, illustrated, sold for $8,625.00 From Stack's sale of December 1970,
Lot 231
PCGS VF-35. Ex - Bowers and Merena Galleries, "The Harry W.
Bass, Jr. Collection, Part IV Sale", November 20-21, 2000, Lot
519, illustrated, sold for $4,140.00 From Quality Sales Corporation's sale of January 1975, Lot
466
Sources and/or
recommended reading:
"Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial
Coins" by Walter Breen
"The PCGS Population
Report, July 2003" by The
Professional Coin Grading Service
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