Q. David Bowers
Henry Chapman's sale of the George H. Earle Collection, June 25-29, 1912. This cabinet ranks among the top several dozen greatest in American numismatic history. Even so, the Liberty Seated portion of the collection contains many average pieces, although there are a number of expected rarities. The description of the 1840 is a lesson in obfuscation; up is down, black is white, etc. Earle must have had a pack rat instinct; notice two Uncirculated 1853 dollars, two 1855 Proofs, etc.
1840 Proof surface, while not struck as a Proof, it is very brilliant and remarkable specimen. Proof [sic!] $16.00.
1840 VF. Very light scratch on obverse. $1.90.
1841 EF. Mint lustre. $1.50.
1841 EF. Mint lustre. $1.50.
1842 EF. Slight Proof surface. $1.75.
1842 EF. Nick on reverse. $1.50.
1843 EF $1.50.
1843 EF. Numerous minute nicks on Liberty. $1.50.
1844 EF. Hair marked. $2.00.
1845 Br. Proof, slightest hair marks. 84 recut. Excessively rare. $23.00.
1845 VF. Minute nicks. $1.40.
1846 Date Recut. Br. Proof, slightest hair mark. $35.00.
1846 Perfect Date. EF $1.50;
1846 EF. Slightest abrasion. $1.50.
1846-O Fine $1.80.
1847 Br. Proof. Slightest hair marks.' $28.00.
1847 Unc. $1.50.
1847 EF $1.25.
1848 Proof that has been in circulation-the field scratched. $4.25.
1848 Unc. Mint lustre. $2.75.
1849 EF. Mint lustre. $1.50.
1850 Br. Proofi'Slightest hair marks. $10.00.
1850 EF. Minute nicks on reverse. $2.00.
1850 VF $2.25.
1850-O EF. Mint lustre. $1.50.
1851 Br. Proof. Slightest abrasion in field. Slightly yellowed by burning in acid. $110.00.
1852 Br. Proof $105.00.
1853 Proof. Slightly hair marked .. $20.00.
1853 Unc. $2.00.
1853 Unc. Microscopic nicks. $1.80.
1854 Proof. Nick in field. $10.50.
1855 Br. Proof $23.00.
1855 Proof $17.00.
1856 Bt. Proof. Slightest hair marks. $13.00.
1856 Unc. $5.50.
1856 EF $3.25.
1856 VG. Fine scratches on Liberty. $2.75.
1857 Proof. Badly marked hair marked by wiping with gritty cloth, ruined, $2.50.
1858 Proof. Badly hair marked. $31.00.
1858 Proof. Abraded and nick in field. $26.00.
1859-O Unc. Small nick in field. $1.25.
1859-S VF $10.00.
1860 Proof. Hair marked. Weak on left-hand stars. $1.10.
1860 Proof. Hair marked. $1.50.
1864 Proof. Nick in field, slight hair marks. $1.70.
1866 Proof. Hair marked. $2.25 ..
1867 Proof. Hair marked. $1.50.
1867 Proof. Hair marked. $1.30.
1868 Proof. Dull. $1.75.
1869 Proof. Hair marked. $1.30.
1870 Proof, Hair marked. $1.50. .
1870-CC Slight Proof surface. Slightly hair marked. $4.00.
1871 Proof. Very small nick in field. $1.10.
1873 Br. Proof $1.50.
B. Max Mehl's sale of the H.O. Granberg Collection, July 14, 1913. Wealthy industrialist Granberg was a prime client of Stephen K. Nagy, Edgar H. Adams, and other purveyors of rarities. He bought, built, and sold several collections, and along the way owned many rarities. See also his collection offered by Mehl in 1919. The present offering contained some second-rate pieces; see the 1851 and 1852, as examples. Presumably, many of the coins were duplicates to his main collection at the time.
1840 Fine $2.25.
1841 Fine $1.75.
1842 VF $1.75.
1843 Fine $1.25.
1844 Fine $2.00.
1845 About Fine
1846 EF with semi-Proof surface. $1.50
1847 EF near Unc. $1.50
1848 Unc., Br, mint lustre almost equal to a Proof. $3.25.
1849 EF, semiproof surface. $2.00.
1850 Br. Proof $12.60.
1851 VG, but dented on edge. $35.25.
1852 VG, but plugged above head. $23.25.
1853 VF $2.00.
1854 Fine to VF $2.50.
1855 Extra Fine, sharp impression, some mint lustre. $3.50.
1856 VF $2.50.
1857 VF $2.85.
1858 Br. Proof $32.00.
1859 About Fine $1.20.
1860 Unc., mint lustre. $1.50.
1861 Br. Proof $2.00.
1862 Proof $1.50.
1863 Proof, tarnished. $1.40.
1864 Proof $1.60.
1865 Br. Proof $2.00.
1866 Proof, not in full brilliancy. $1.10.
1867 Unc. $1.60.
1868 Fine $1.40.
1869 EF, near Unc. $1.50.
1870 Fine $1.25.
1871 Good $1.10.
1872 AU $1.50.
1873 VF $1.75.