LOT #2078 |
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1907 $20 High Relief PR65 NGC....
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Sold on Jul 31, 2008 for:
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Description
Stunning 1907 High Relief, Wire Rim Twenty
A Splendid Gem Proof Issue
1907 $20 High Relief PR65 NGC. Everyone loves a good
mystery, but numismatists are especially fond of those pertaining
to rare coins. The story of the 1907 High Relief proof twenties is
one such mystery that will likely never be solved, considering that
recent major research has failed to yield a definitive answer. A
select few feel that all 1907 High Reliefs are proofs, while others
believe that only a small percentage of examples were produced
under special circumstances and qualify as true proofs.
Furthermore, some, including PCGS, are of the opinion that none of
the extant 1907 High Relief twenties were specially prepared and
all coins of the issue can only be called business strikes. Each
side of the argument has valid and compelling points to ponder. For
example, David Akers, in his United States Gold Coins, Double
Eagles (1975), writes:"There were no proofs officially struck for collectors, but a small number of pieces do exist that are undoubtedly proofs based on the fact that they were struck with the lettered edge collar used on the Extremely High Relief. They are also characterized by an unusually satiny surface and a myriad of raised die scratches and swirls in the fields. There are other proofs with different size edge letters and unusual finishes, including one of the Gilhousen coins and the 'matte proof' DiBello-Auction '81 Specimen."
The intense research of the National Archives and other contemporary sources by Roger Burdette in his recently released Renaissance of American Coinage, 1905-1908 does not definitively support either side of the debate. However, Burdette's work does provide enough clues to at least strengthen the position that certain 1907 High Relief twenties were specially prepared as proofs for collectors. For example, his reference includes a compilation of coin purchases from the Mint by elite collectors, dealers, and organizations. Between September 21, 1907 and June 13, 1908, more than 700 High Relief double eagles were sold. Further documentation suggests that at least some of the coins sold during the aforementioned period were struck to order. Were the coins produced under the guidelines of traditional proof coins of that era? Since the satin and matte proofs were not issued until 1908, and the curvature of Saint-Gaudens' 1907 designs prevented the dies from being polished using traditional proof production methods, it is difficult to say. However, when all facts are considered, the preponderance of the evidence leans towards the fact that certain specimens of this issue deserve the right to be labeled as proofs.
The current example is one such piece, possessing a bold strike with full separation of the lettering around the margin from the rim. Satiny, as always, there are no noticeable contact marks on either side of this magnificent coin.
Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 28HM, PCGS# 908549, GSID# 10199)
Auction Info
2008 July-August Baltimore, MD (ANA) US Coin Signature Auction #1114 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
Jul-Aug, 2008
30th-3rd
Wednesday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 13
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 1,559
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
15% of the successful bid per lot.
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