Q. David Bowers
Stack's sale of the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Family Collection,January 18-21, 1984, included a magnificent set of Liberty Seated silver dollars, replete with many seldom-seen early Proof issues. Most of these were gathered during the 1940s by Amon G. Carter, Sr., who was one of Mehl's friends. Among the American series, silver dollars and trade dollars were Carter's favorite.
1840 Liberty Seated. Br. Proof. The defect on the right upright of the final A in AMERICA perfectly obvious, as well as the broken crossbar. Some light hairlines and a tiny rim nick over the ninth star. A lovely coin with peripheral toning. $6,600.00.
1841 Br. Proof. This too shows the defects on the final A.
Some hairlines and light marks in the field. From the Jack Roe Collection. $3,960.00.
1842 Br. Proof. A glittering two-tone example with but faint hairlines in the field. Using the Rome Report,' from 1972 to 1978 there were only two specimens offered nationwide. Ex Golden Jubilee Sale, Lot 812. $6,875.00.
1843 Br. Proof. Some hairlines and a couple of reeding marks in the field. A two-tone example with peripheral toning. None were offered in the seven year period of 1972-1978. $10,450.00.
1844 Br. Proof. Partial wire edge. Some light hairlines but overall an attractive example of this rarity. $7,150.00.
1845 Br. Proof. This too has the inevitable hairlines so common to these early Proofs. The 84 distinctly double cut. Similar peripheral toning to most of the others in this collection. $7,425.00.
1846 Br. Proof. Partial wire edge. Light hairlines, as is usually the case. Iridescent toning about the edges. Breen is correct in stating this is a blundered die and is an 1846 over a badly placed 1846, rather than the older designations of 1846/44 and 1846/45. $6,875.00.
1846 Br. Unc. Light bagmarks on the slightly prooflike surface. $1,870.00.
1846-O AU and choice. Frosty mint lustre. The obverse is remarkably free from bagmarks. $1,320.00.
1847 Br. Proof. Although it has some hairlines, it is one of the best coins, from a quality point of view, of the 1840-1850 series. From the World's Greatest Collection, 1945. $6,600.00.
1848 Br. Proof. The surfaces somewhat dulled by an old cleaning. Pale gray toning with iridescence about the periphery. A needle-sharp strike. $5,280.00.
1849 Br. Proof. Nearly a full wire edge. Hairlines and two pinpoint nicks on the cheek. Lovely peripheral toning. Really a rather attractive example of one of the rarer dates in Proof of the entire series. $7,425.00.
1849 AU. Natural prooflike surface but polished. $286.00. 1850 Br. Proof. Undoubtedly, the finest quality coin of this series. A lovely glittering example with toning about the edges. $9,350.00.
1850-O AU. A lustrous and sharply struck example of this rare coin. $3,520.00.
1851 Centered Date. Restrike. Br. Proof, full wire edge.
Light hairlines but really a very attractive two-tone specimen. Russet and iridescent peripheral toning. A rare date. $9,350.00.
1852 Restrike. Br. Proof. Faint hairlines. A glittering example, two-tone in appearance. Rich blue and coppery orange peripheral toning. $9,900.00.
1853 Br. Proof, partial wire edge. Hairlines on field from an old cleaning. Russet and iridescent about the edges. $1,980.00.
1854 Br. Proof. Light hairlines on a brilliant reflective surface. Superb coppery toning about the edges. $5,280.00. 1855 Br. Proof. Like the others, this too has hairlines. A bright coin with peripheral toning. Really a very handsome example of this rare date. $5,060.00.
1856 Br. Proof. Light hairlines. All devices are boldly struck. Coppery iridescent toning. $7,700.00.
1857 Br. Proof. The coin was dipped to remove heavy toning, now with some gray dullness about the periphery. The central portion is very nice. $3,300.00.
1858 Br. Proof. Light hairlines. Beautiful pale coppery russet toning. A "Proof only" year of which only 80 were said to have been struck. $7,700.00.
1859 Br. Proof, gray and iridescent. $2,200.00.
1859-O Choice Br. Unc., in fact, very nearly in the gem category. Lovely peripheral toning. $3,740.00.
1859-O Choice Br. Unc. Pale golden and iridescent toning., mostly on the reverse. $1,045.00.
1859-O Another. Br. Unc. Lovely satiny surface with variegated iridescent toning. Bagmarks on the figure, neatly hidden by the toning. $880.00.
1859-O A third. Br. Unc. Prooflike surface with bagmarks, magnified by the surface. $990.00.
1859-S AU. A very choice example, sharply struck, with considerable mint lustre. Very scarce. $1,540.00.
1860 Br. Proof. Numerous hairlines but still attractive.
Blue iridescent toning about the edges. $1,210.00.
1860-O AU, lightly polished years ago. A very lovely coin nevertheless. $467.50.
1861 Br. Proof, faint hairlines. A sharply struck two-tone example, with exceptionally nice orange iridescent toning. $3,850.00.
1862 Br. Proof. A hairlined specimen but still a very nice example of which only 550 were struck. $1,540.00.
1863 Br. Proof. Sharply impressed and with a minimum of hairlines. Lovely golden, russet, and iridescent toning. $2,970.00.
1864 Br. Proof, light hairlines. Pale russet and iridescent toning. $2,200.00.
1865 Br. Proof. Light hairlines but two-toned and well struck, with pale mauve toning; $1,980.00.
1866 Br. Proof. Some light hairlines in the right obverse field, otherwise the coin is superb. Pale russet toning. The first year with motto. $5,280.00.
1867 Br, Proof, light hairlines. Iridescent toning, mostly about its periphery. $2,530.00.
1868 Br. Proof. A lovely coin with orange-russet and iridescent toning. $3,520.00.
1869 Br. Proof, faint hairlines. A very lovely two-tone specimen, with light russet toning. $2,090.00.
1870 Br. Proof. A beautiful coin but curiously, the central portion is weakly struck. The coin, in fact, gives the illusion of bulging in the centers. $1,320.00.
1870-CC A nice VF, even wear, and overall a pleasing example of the first year of coinage from this mint. $632.50.
1870-S Exceedingly rare. As described by B. Max Mehl in his Golden Jubilee Sale, Lot 941, "The mint letter is small and high, close to feather in arrow. EF; the lower obverse is slightly dulled and it has some traces of original mint lustre. The wear on the coin is evenly distributed and very slight. It would not be an exaggeration to call this coin 'near Unc.' In point of actual rarity, it is just about as rare as any U.S. silver dollar regardless of price or record. The envelope in which this coin came, from the Kern Collection, is marked 'The rarest U.S. silver coin. Less than 10 known. From collections of Jack Roe, Colonel Green, Newcomer.' In the sale of Mr. Roe's collection this dollar was not included. I understand however that he did have a specimen and disposed of it before I acquired his collection. This is only the second specimen that I have ever offered at auction. The last one, in my sale of the Neil Collection, brought $1,500.00. This is the price Mr. Kern paid for his Coin several years ago. The previous record is $1,650.00. Even the great Atwater Collection did not have a specimen, although it did have both varieties of the 1804 dollars." We agree with everything written by B. Max Mehl, regarding its rarity. There simply is no question that it ranks as one of the greatest silver rarities and, for that matter, as one of the rarest of all U.S. coins, regardless of metal. We feel, however, that Mr. Mehl was somewhat enthusiastic about its quality. A grade of VF, with the lower portion of the obverse dulled by light pitting, would be a little more accurate. Regardless of the condition, the most important fact of all is that only five or six exist in all conditions. $46,750.00.