1859 G$1 MS68+ PCGS Secure. CAC....

Click the image to load the highest resolution version.

Sold on Aug 12, 2015 for:

$37,600.00 Bid Source: Live: Floor bidder

Get one of these:

Share this lot

Track Item Printable Auction Results

Sell One of These

Description

Auction Info

Guides & Info

Description

1859 Gold Dollar, MS68+
From the David Akers Collection
The Sole Finest Certified

1859 G$1 MS68+ PCGS Secure. CAC. Ex: Duckor/Akers. Diagonal die lines are evident in the obverse and reverse fields of this remarkable Superb Gem. Those fields are reflective, nearly prooflike, with satiny yellow-gold luster and hints of blue-green overtones. The strike is bold, showing exceptional detail on the headdress plumes and the ribbon bow and knot.

Variety and Die State: Breen-6059. Broad Numerals. This early die state piece was struck from perfect dies. Walter Breen recorded three varieties in his Complete Encyclopedia, but the differences are slight. The other varieties are the Repunched 9 and the Repunched Date, which appears only on proofs.

Population (6/15): PCGS has seen only two submissions at the MS68 level -- one MS68 and this MS68+ example, making this the sole finest certified. It is also the only one in this grade with the CAC green approval. The finest at NGC grade MS67.

Commentary: The late 1850s marked the beginning of the modern era of numismatics in America. The Mint started producing proof sets for sale to the general public the previous year, and also began producing restrikes of older rarities such as Gobrecht dollars, 1804 dollars, and 1856 Flying Eagle cents. Medals and tokens commemorating George Washington were perhaps the hottest collectible in the numismatic marketplace. The survival of high-grade pieces from a mintage of 168,164 coins would not surprise modern-day collectors given those market circumstances. However, such high-grade gold dollars remain elusive.

Douglas Winter Commentary: This is another "wonder coin" (to use an expression in vogue a decade or two ago) that traces its origin to David Akers' amazing personal collection of gold dollars. It is every bit the quality that you would expect from an Akers coin (a pedigree which, in my opinion, will become extremely important to gold dollar collectors after this sale is concluded), and it is essentially perfect with breathtaking mint luster, lovely color, and eye appeal to burn.

This is almost certainly the finest known 1859 gold dollar. There is another coin graded MS68 by PCGS and it is wonderful as well, but the Duckor/Akers example offered here is an early die state with no clashing, and it lacks the few tiny scuffs on the obverse that the other MS68 shows under magnification.

Before this coin became available, no PCGS-graded 1859 gold dollar higher than MS66 had ever crossed the block. The current auction record for this date is $8,338 set by an MS67 NGC piece that sold in a Superior sale over a decade ago (January 2004, lot 767). That record is about to be smashed. Whatever this coin sells for, the new owner will be proud to know he or she owns an unimprovable gold dollar.

Provenance: Purchased from David Akers.
From The Duckor Family Collection of Gold Dollars.(Registry values: N1)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25CL, PCGS# 7551, Greysheet# 8021)

Weight: 1.67 grams

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper

View all of [The Duckor Family Collection of Gold Dollars ]

View Certification Details from PCGS