The Early Quarter Dollars of the United States

Quarter Dollars of 1823

The mint records give the coinage for this year as 17,800 pieces, yet it is one of the two rarest dates in the whole quarter dollar series, very few collections have them. Possibly the greater part of this coinage was melted up and converted into other denominations.

One variety only is known.

No. 1

Obverse: 1823 over 1822, the 2 showing plainly under the 3. The four end stars are in about the same position as in the regular die of 1822, but in the date 8 and 2 are further apart.

Reverse: Similar to 182 [Browning] 1, but left end of scroll is not in line with upright of D, lower part is under space between E and D, upper part about opposite extreme left of D. Defective arrows; upper arrow rod is imperfect; lower arrow head is very imperfect, appearing as though lower part had been cut away.

Dies Perfect. A very rare coin.

Incomplete arrows.
Browning-1; Clapp-1; Duphorne-46; Breen-3906; Haseltine-1.
Rarity-6.
Die States: I. Perfect.
II. Faint crack, rim to hair just right of 3.
III. Crack heavier, extending up through curls to near center dot. Neil:892.

Most of the 17,800 in Mint records were dated 1822. The single obverse appears to have been made for Proofs. Incomplete arrows are diagnostic of this reverse, enabling instant detection of altered dates (most often fabricated from 182 or 1825).

Proofs: Only one known, ex J.N.T. Levick, Wm. Fewsmith, private collections, Burdette G. Johnson, Elmer Sears, Waldo Newcomer, Clint Hester, Jerome Kern:1407, Guggenheimer:334; Miles:893, Speir Estate sale:16, $44,000, Reed Hawn:272, $32,000, Auction '80:1176, $87,500, Auction '86:127, $46,200. The others mentioned by Mehl have not shown up; was he confusing these with the 182 25/50 Proofs?

Business strikes: The alleged Uncirculated specimen bought by Sternberg (Frank or H.A.?) in Denmark, remains unverified.

The following are all the specimens of which I have records.

1. B.G. Johnson, Brand, C. David Pierce, 1947 ANA:914, Edgar Levy:16. AU, scratch joins second and third stars.
2. Norweb:1538. AU. Tiny lint mark behind curl points to 11th star; claws flat. No earlier pedigree.
3. "Dupont":1798. EF, obverse field dig.
4. B.G. Johnson (same source as No. 1 and the Proof), F.C.C. Boyd, WGC:72, Eliasberg Estate. About EF.
5. Atwater:674, Grant Pierce:608, Bowers & Ruddy "Jubilee of Values" FPL 8-9/65, $4.750, 1976 ANA:956, $12,500, Richard A. Bagg, Pullen & Hanks sale, Long Beach Feb. 1982:380. This has been variously graded VF and EF, prooflike.
6. Parmelee:947, H.O. Granberg, W.H. Woodin, Col. Green, Charles M. Williams, Menjou:690, Baldenhofer:400. VF. Plate IV. Illustrated in ANS 1914 Exhibition.
7. J. Colvin Randall, T. Harrison Garrett, J.W. Garrett:637. Fine.
8. Neil:892. Fine, State III.
9. Allenburger:800, J.A. Stack:22. VG-Fine. This or next possibly ex Kern:1408.
10. French's 2/13/59:541, NN 54:1107, Bergen:52. VG.
11. Frossard 4/26/1900, private collection, NN 49:1147, R.P. About VF.
12. Atwater:675, B. Frank:640, Bowers & Ruddy RCRs 11-16 (1971-2), 1978 ANA:719. About VG, deep nick right of first star.
13. John H. Clapp, Eliasberg, "H.R. Lee":386, NN 49:1148, 1970 ANA:665. Good-VG, rim nick at second arrowhead.
14. Dunham:425, Neil:893, C.A. Cass, "Empire":1018, Bowers & Ruddy's Empire Topics 2 (7/58), p. 11, A. Buol Hinman, Century:850, Bowers & Ruddy RCRs 21-29 (1975-77). Good, IBERTY visible, though it has been graded as high as "About Fine."
15. J.J. Gamberg, NN 44:777. Good, two scratches from second star to neck.
16. Bought by a Western dealer at the 1959 MANA Convention. Good.
17. Robison:1280. Good, two circular arc scratched on neck and at ninth star.
18. Dr. Owen, Yale University, unidentified thieves. Grade not known to [Breen].
19. Charles Steigerwalt, Ten Eyck:518. Fine but plugged above head, affecting 5 C. pictured again over Allenburger:800.
20. Piece illustrated in Coin World 3/27/91, p. 17.
21. Midwest collection, Harry Smith. Good, holed and plugged, affecting left stars.

Numerical Condition Census (RWM, Sr.): Use Roster in Encyclopedia.