1856 G25C BG-111, PL MS63PL Certification #44361067, PCGS #675615

Ron Guth

BG-111 is a Liberty Head Octagonal 1/4 Dollar issued by Antoine Louis Nouizillet of San Francisco.  Though dated 1856, they may have been made as late as 1858 and possibly even 1860).  Breen-Gillio classed them as Rarity 3 (Scarce) but that all changed with the discovery of the wreck of the S.S. Central America in 1988.  Four BG-111's were found in the first salvage of the ship and an even larger large quanitity was found in the second salvage operation (at least 14 of which were graded Prooflike by PCGS).  As a result, BG-111 is now one of the most common varieties of the Period One 1/4 Dollars.