1852 $50 Assay Office Fifty Dollar, 900 Thous. VF30 NGC. K-14, R/5....
Description
Famous 1852 Assay Office Fifty Dollar 'Slug'
VF30, 900 Thous., Kagin-14
1852 $50 Assay Office Fifty Dollar, 900 Thous. VF30 NGC. K-14,
R/5. The United States Assay Office of Gold was once again
under the leadership of Curtis, Perry, and Ward when the final
eight-sided fifty dollar gold pieces were struck between October
1852 and February 1853. An increase in seignorage charged was one
reason for the discontinuance. Although struck in .900 Thous. gold,
the large octagonal pieces were technically in violation of Federal
standards. Copper was not available for alloy, so naturally
occurring silver provided the sole alloy for these final pieces.
Perhaps 150 of the K-14 octagonal ingots are known today in all
grades combined according to Donald Kagin and David J. McCarthy's
recent reference. This is a well-circulated VF30 example showing
moderate high-point wear. Remarkably, the corners and edges are
nearly unimpaired and the engine-turned reverse shows
grade-consistent central wear and a few angled marks, but only
minor dings. The olive-gold surfaces appear wholly original. Two
small gouges sit above the eagle's head, yet the date and most of
the outer obverse legend are readable. This is an ideal collector
grade for one of these highly in-demand iconic California gold
pieces. Listed among the 100 Greatest U.S. Coins. NGC
Census: 2 in 30, 54 finer (12/25).Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# ANHH, PCGS# 10019, Greysheet# 11698)
Auction Info
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This lot is in: 2 -
Signature® Floor Session - Platinum Session - II (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 3177-3389) - 6:00 PM Central Time, Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
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Heritage Auctions
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Dallas, TX 75261
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