Rare Dahlonega Quarter Eagle to be Auctioned!

Dallas, Texas: "This coin, of Variety 2-D, represents a very rare die pairing," said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auction Galleries, "as nearly all 1841-D quarter eagles are Variety 2-C, which features the mintmark leaning forward and partly left of the 2. In this example, we note that the mintmark is centered over the 2 in the fraction. Slender die cracks journey north from the 1 in the fraction, and left from the R in AMERICA to the upper arrowhead. Of course, any 1841-D is rare, since a mere 4,164 pieces were struck, and only a slender portion of the mintage has survived."

Rohan continued, "Rare gold authority Douglas Winter estimated in his 2003 Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint that just 75 to 85 examples are known. A total of five pieces have been certified as Mint State by either NGC or PCGS, and it is possible that one or more of these coins represent resubmissions. Only two pieces have been certified MS63, one each by NGC and PCGS. The present piece, of course, is the sole NGC MS63 example."

"The PCGS MS63 is from the Green Pond Collection," Rohan said, "which was auctioned by Heritage in January, 2004. Winter records the present Duke's Creek piece as #2 in his Condition Census for the issue. It brought $25,300 in Heritage's 1993 ANA auction."

"Winter describes this particular coin as 'Prooflike and identifiable by a light diagonal scratch through the eagle's neck,'" Rohan added. "A thin diagonal mark is also present in the field above the beak, but the rich honey-gold surfaces are otherwise smooth. The strike is bold throughout the margins, with minor softness beneath Liberty's ear. The eagle's neck and left leg show some weakness customary for the type and mint. Most Dahlonega specialists would be proud to own any 1841-D quarter eagle, but only one determined collector can possess this important population topper."

Heritage Auction Galleries will offer the 1841-D $2 1/2 MS63 NGC in their upcoming Signature Auction, to be held April 7-9, 2006 as the official auctioneer of the American Numismatics Association's 2006 National Money Show, at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Two Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30339.

• 1841-D $2 1/2 MS63 NGC

Images, descriptions, and prices realized from all of Heritage's previous auctions are available in the Permanent Auction Archives at the Heritage website.

To reserve your copy of a catalog for any upcoming Heritage auction, please contact Nicole Jewell, c/o Heritage Auction Galleries, 3500 Maple Avenue, 17th Floor, Dallas, TX 75219, or call 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272.