LOT #5770 |
Sold on Aug 6, 2000 for: Not Sold
1815 25C
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Sold on Aug 6, 2000 for:
Not Sold Description
Enigmatic 1815 Bust Quarter, Counterstamped E
1815 25C MS 62 Counterstamped E NGC. B-1, the only known dies, R.1. A deeply toned, yet original example, both sides display golden-blue iridescence beneath rich charcoal shades. There are a few wispy abrasions, but the strike is well centered and above average for the issue. We recently offered an 1825/3 quarter AU 55 Countermark NGC piece as lot 7282 in our May 2000 Central States Sale, and we quote from that description on the significance of the present example: "Certain 1815 and 1825/3 Capped Bust quarters display E and L countermarks about the upper obverse rim. The meaning of these countermarks is not known for sure, but Karl Moulton, who has been studying these pieces for quite some time, asserts that the first example, an 1815, appeared in Captain John W. Haseltine's December 12, 1881 sale. Although these pieces were absent from earlier numismatic circles, they suddenly flooded auctions throughout 1882 and 1883. Moulton believes that the death of William DuBois in July 1881 may be connected to the sudden appearance of these pieces. DuBois had served as Assayer at the Philadelphia Mint and also as curator of the Mint Collection. It is possible that the countermarked 1815 and 1825/3 quarters were dispersed to prominent dealers following DuBois' death. The high grade of these pieces, coupled with the fact that other numismatic rarities such as the 1804 silver dollars surfaces at this time, seems to support Moulton's theory."The circumstances surrounding the production of these pieces is still cause for debate. It is obvious that the E and L counterstamps were added to the coins sometime after striking. Whether or not the letters were impressed at the Mint is not known. All of the countermarked 1825 quarters are of the 1825/3 B-2 die variety. Some authors claim that these countermarked coins served as weight standards at the Philadelphia Mint. Breen, among others, asserts that the letters were added to denote English and Latin, respectively. He believes that the coins were then distributed to students at local schools as awards for contests. Mark Hotz claims that these letters were impressed to indicate adjustments to the screw presses. The countermarked coins were then released into circulation, thus enabling the Mint to trace wear patterns and see which press adjustment produced the best coins. Since the true meaning of these countermarks continues to evade today's collectors, the winner of this lot will be purchasing a coin that he/she can spend considerable time researching. Perhaps this lucky bidder will be able to shed new light on this subject for the benefit of the hobby."
Ex: Max Stein, Strong Box Treasure, Rare Coin Auction (McKee Coins, 5/00), lot 702.
Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 5321, GSID# 5061)
Metal: 89.24% Silver, 10.76% Copper
Weight: 6.74 grams
ASW: 0.19338oz
Mintage: 89,235
Auction Info
Philadelphia 2000 #232 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
August, 2000
6th-7th
Sunday-Monday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 3
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 149
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