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Description

Spectacular MS67 1905 Lewis and Clark Dollar

1905 G$1 Lewis and Clark MS67 NGC. Though the Philadelphia Mint struck 35,000 1905-dated Lewis and Clark dollars in addition to assay pieces, that figure has little connection to the issue's availability today, and even the commonly accepted net mintage of 10,000 pieces may be something of an illusion. The 25,000-coin gap was the result of the Philadelphia Mint striking more pieces than were in Farran Zerbe's original order for the issue, in anticipation of future requests. None were made, and so the pieces were melted again, having never left the Mint. Numerous specialists in commemoratives have noted that the 1905 Lewis and Clark coins are scarcer than their 1904 counterparts, and some authorities speculate that Farran Zerbe did not sell the entire group of 10,000 1905-dated examples, but later spent them at face value or redeemed them unofficially, removing them from the pool of survivors.
The Lewis and Clark dollars are well-known for their overall elusiveness, and as grade increases, the challenge associated with the pieces only grows. In his A Guide Book of United States Commemorative Coins, Q. David Bowers writes that " ... among commemorative gold [dollars], the Lewis and Clark issues of 1904 and 1905 are singularly distinctive for their rarity in higher grades. They are far rarer than any other commemorative gold dollar varieties." An overview of the combined certified population supports this; NGC has given just three pieces a numerical grade of MS67, and PCGS has certified just two such coins, with none finer at either service (6/08).
This amply lustrous lemon-gold example has an unusually strong cartwheel effect for a commemorative gold coin, though it also shows degrees of the mirrored finish seen on many high-end representatives. The striking is uncommonly gold, and the surfaces are beautifully preserved. An impressive candidate for the commemorative collector who demands only the finest.
From The Dan McClure Collection.(Registry values: N10218)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# BYLG, PCGS# 7448, Greysheet# 10207)

Weight: 1.70 grams

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper


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Auction Info

Auction Dates
Jul-Aug, 2008
30th-3rd Wednesday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 17
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 889

Buyer's Premium per Lot:
15% of the successful bid per lot.

Sold on Jul 31, 2008 for: $43,125.00
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