1851 $1 Restrike PR64 Cameo PCGS. CAC....

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1851 Seated Liberty Dollar, PR64 Cameo
Spectacular Quality for the Grade
A Rare and Heavily Sought Restrike Issue

1851 $1 Restrike PR64 Cameo PCGS. CAC. The contrast on this exceptional Choice Cameo proof is considerable, with crisply struck and lightly frosted silver-white devices that project from moderately reflective gold-gray and smoke-gray fields. A lintmark that passes through star 1 serves as a pedigree identifier. Well-preserved overall despite a few minor hairlines in the fields.

Population Data (4/15): PCGS reports only five Cameos, with this piece in PR64 and one PR65 finer. NGC shows no Cameos in PR64 but one PR65 Cameo finer.

Heritage Commentary: From the 1850s through the 1880s, patterns, restrikes, and various unofficial Mint products were sold in secret to well-heeled numismatists. The proof restrikes of the 1851 dollar are especially interesting, although the specifics of their production remain slightly clouded. Current numismatic scholarship suggests that not all were made at the same time. At least one batch was produced by Theodore Eckfeldt and accomplices from 1858 until mid-1860, and another was apparently created by Mint Director Henry Linderman, likely from 1867 to 1868.

Further information came to light in 1992, when Bowers et al. identified two distinct die pairs from a group of 1851 restrikes assembled at that year's American Numismatic Association convention. The first has a series of tiny die markers, while the second displays doubling on the upper obverse stars. Yet, a number of examples sold in recent years display neither set of these identifying characteristics, this example included.

A different dollar from the first die pair, lot 7637 from the May 2005 Central States Numismatic Society sale, displays light clash marks in the left obverse field. Once the coiners found clash marks on the dies, it seems likely that they would polish those dies, since their customers might reject obviously imperfect specimens. Heavy die polishing has several possible effects; minor devices might lose thickness, die rust and other small markers could become weaker, and the die pair would have temporarily enhanced contrast. This wonderful near-Gem displays evidence of all three, with particular notice given to the date: the bottoms of the numerals are paper-thin, which is particularly evident on the 5, and hardly any die rust appears in the exergue.

Obviously, further research is needed in this area, but the present coin is nonetheless a beautiful example of this undeniably rare and intriguing issue.

Provenance: Dallas Signature (Heritage, 4/2007), lot 947; purchased from Legend Numismatics (6/2007).

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# CPUT, PCGS# 86993, Greysheet# 7274)

Weight: 26.73 grams

Metal: 90% Silver, 10% Copper

View Certification Details from PCGS