Pre-Civil War Collector Coins in The Steve Studer Collection, Part 2
three-cent silver to
double eagles. All of the coins being offered have dates from the period 1838-1861, and the vast majority, including all of the silver coins, were struck in
New Orleans. A few gold coins from
Philadelphia and
San Francisco round out the offering.
1854-O quarter eagle is scarce in any Mint State grade, but it is decidedly rare in MS63, and a mere two pieces have been certified in higher grades, both by
PCGS. This example is tied with one other coin as the finest endorsed by
CAC. The strike is generally sharp, save for the virtually unavoidable softness on the eagle’s left (facing) leg. Reflective fields complement rich straw-gold color, and the absence of major abrasions compounds the eye appeal. New Orleans gold from this period is rarely found so fine.