The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 35, August 14, 2005, Article 7

1854-S QUARTER EAGLE CERTIFIED AT ANA

Dave Lange forwarded a link to an article on his firm's web
site, about a previously unknown 1854-S $2.50 gold piece
certified by his firm at the convention:

"A prized rarity was revealed to the numismatic community
when NGC certified an 1854-S Quarter Eagle on July 27,
during the ANA World#39;s Fair of Money.

A scant 246 of these $2.50 gold pieces were struck during
the San Francisco Mint#39;s first year of operation in 1854.
Today, approximately a dozen 1854-S Quarter Eagles are
known, and most show heavy wear from circulation. Most
intriguing about this particular example#39;s history, however,
is the story of its discovery by the numismatic community.

Earlier in the year, on Saturday, April 2, at the Santa Clara
Coin & Collectibles Expo, a woman and her family arrived
at the show toting an heirloom gold coin. They believed that
it had been in their family#39;s possession since 1858, being
the first gold coin acquired by a long-ago ancestor who
immigrated to California during the Gold Rush. They approached
NGC Director of Research, David Lange, for his evaluation,
recounting the coin#39;s story and explaining that they believed
they had something valuable. “Though I hear such claims at
every coin show, she seemed to speak with more confidence
than most visitors,” recalls Lange. “I was shocked to see that
the coin she took out of her bag was the extremely rare
1854-S Quarter Eagle.”

As she had arrived late in the show, on-site grading was no
longer available. The coin would need to be sent to NGC#39;s
office in Sarasota for certification. Having just been told that
she did, in fact, have a very valuable coin, she was not ready
to let it out of her sight for so long. Lange then mentioned that
he would be returning to with NGC to the area in three months
for the ANA#39;s World#39;s Fair of Money. “I didn#39;t expect I
would ever see her or the coin again,” recounts Lange.

She did return, however, and this time on the opening day of
the show. The coin was promptly submitted to NGC for
certification, and was graded XF-45, making it the third finest
known example."

To read the full press release, see: Full Story

[Included is a photo of David, NGC's Director of Research,
holding the coin. -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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