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February 7 , 2014

COIN OF THE WEEK

GEM QUALITY 1879 PROOF SET
Click on Coin Image to enlarge


GEM QUALITY 1879 PROOF SET PCGS PROOF 64-67 - $33,500.00

 

Here's something any advanced dealer, collector, investor, would love to own. Presenting for you is this incredible Gem quality 1879 Proof Set PCGS PF64-67. The coins in this outstanding 1879 silver and minor coin proof set range in grade from PR64 to PR67CAM. They include the Indian Cent, the Three-Cent Nickel, and the Shield Nickel, all designed by James B. Longacre; the Seated Dime, the Seated Quarter, and the Seated Half Dollar, designed by Christian Gobrecht; the Trade Dollar, designed by William Barber, and the Morgan Dollar, designed by George T. Morgan.

When was the last time you saw a complete proof set from the 1800's? And when was the last time you saw one as incredible as this one? Please act fast to secure this, whether you are a collector, an investor or have been looking for something complete to will to heirs, this 1879 proof set can obviously not be duplicated. Don't forget, US Rare Coin Investments can also offer Special financing or interest free layaway terms. Fantastic 1879 Proof set!

The Indian Cent is a Gem PR65RB. Since the cents of this date are often dark red, this one is probably typical. It is a glossy, uniformly dark red-brown with no visible surface problems. The color indicates it originality. It is a well-struck piece with full details on the ends of the feathers, the diamonds on the ribbon, the shield, and the leaves of the wreath.

The Indian Cent’s obverse shows Liberty facing left in profile wearing a LIBERTY inscribed headdress. Her hair is combed back and over her ear and flows down beneath the truncation. A band with four diamonds is attached to the back of the headdress and comes over her hair past the truncation. She is surrounded with the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA with the date below. The reverse shows the denomination written as ONE CENT surrounded by an oak wreath with a Union shield at the top and a ribbon holding the parts of the wreath and three arrows together below. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides of the coin, and the edge is plain.

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The Three-Cent Nickel is a Superb PR67CAM. Its silvery “white” devices float on much darker fields creating the cameo effect. The colors and luster confirm its originality. The piece is well struck with full details on Liberty’s hair and the other portrait details as well as the vertical lines in the Roman III. The dentils on both sides are strong. The surfaces are pristine with no hairlines or contact marks.

The Three-Cent Nickel was issued from 1865 to 1889. The obverse shows a classic profile of Liberty facing left. She has an elaborate hair arrangement with curls flowing down her neck. She also wears a LIBERTY inscribed coronet. The date is below, and she is surrounded with the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The reverse shows an open olive branch wreath that encloses a Roman numeral III for the denomination.

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The Shield Nickel is an overdate, and it is the only proof overdate of the Shield Nickel series. The coin, which is a Superb PR66, is tan and “white.” The colors show its originality. Beneath the toning there is smoldering mint luster. The strike is strong with full details on the stripes and leaves of the obverse and the centers of the stars of the reverse.

The Shield Nickel was first introduced in 1866. The obverse shows a large, ornate shield with a small cross at the top. Within the top of the shield are horizontal raised lines. The base contains six vertical columns made up of closely spaced, raised lines. Two arrows are below and beneath the shield with only their arrowheads and feathers visible. Olive branches hang at the top on either side of the shield. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST is in an arc at the top of the obverse, and the date is below. From 1866 to 1867, the reverse had thirteen six-pointed stars that alternated with rays in a circle around the numeral 5, the denomination. From 1867 to 1883, the rays were omitted. The coin is inscribed UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in an arc at the top with CENTS at the bottom.

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The Liberty Seated Dime is a Superb Gem proof 67 with lightly toned devices against a darker background. The “white” devices are toned with light blue highlights. Against darkly toned fields, the combination produces a cameo-like effect. The strike is above average with full details on Liberty’s head. The surfaces are especially clean with no visible hairlines, contact marks, or other problems.

The obverse of the Liberty Seated Dime depicts Liberty, looking over her shoulder to the left. She balances the Union Shield inscribed LIBERTY with her right hand and holds a staff on which is placed a Phrygian cap in her left. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is interrupted by her head and the capped pole. The date is below. The reverse, designed by James B. Longacre, shows the denomination written in two words surrounded by a closed wreath of corn, wheat, maple, and oak. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides of the coin.

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The Liberty Seated Quarter, a near-Gem proof 64, is a lovely toned piece with light devices and darker backgrounds. Original mint luster is seen within the devices, which are toned light green, blue, tan, and gold. The clearly original piece also has a strong strike. There are full details on Liberty’s head, the centers of the stars, and the elements of the reverse especially the eagle. The surfaces are clean for the grade with no individual hairlines or contact marks worthy of description.

The obverse of the Liberty Seated Quarter depicts Liberty looking over her shoulder to the left. She balances the Union Shield inscribed LIBERTY with her right hand and holds a staff on which is placed a Phrygian cap in her left. There are seven stars to the left and six to the right interrupted by her head and the capped pole. The date is below. The reverse shows the heraldic eagle looking left. It is surrounded by the required inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the denomination written as QUAR. DOL. below. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides of the coin.

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The Liberty Seated proof 66 half dollar is an eye-appealing Superb Gem. From Liberty’s mid section to the bottom of the shield, she is bathed in lustrous white, as if a spotlight were fixed on her. The white is surrounded by a light tan that fades to light blue and then darker blue at the periphery. These colors and toning affirm the coin’s originality. The strike is strong with full details on Liberty’s head, the centers of the stars, and the eagle at the lower left. The surfaces are extremely clean with no visible hairlines, contact marks, or other distractions.

Like the previous Liberty Seated designs, the half dollar shows Liberty seated looking over her shoulder to the left. She balances the Union Shield inscribed LIBERTY with her right hand and holds a staff on which is placed a Phrygian cap in her left. There are seven stars to the left and six to the right interrupted by her head and the capped pole. The date is below. The reverse shows the heraldic eagle looking left. It is surrounded by the required inscription and the denomination written as HALF DOL. below. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides of the coin.

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The Trade Dollar, a lovely Superb Gem proof 66, shows Liberty sitting with her upper body bathed in light. The lustrous light toning becomes slightly darker through her mid-section, and her legs are toned darker. The bottom quarter of the coin is toned blue-gray, as if Liberty is sitting while bathing her feet in water. Darker blue continues at the periphery, but the rest of the fields are a mixture of tan, brown and gold. The reverse, which is very appealing, shows the mainly “white” eagle with light toning at its head. It is surrounded by fields that are darker at the top with shade of blue, green, and tan with lighter tan at the bottom. The toning and colors affirm the coin’s originality. The surfaces are clean with no visible hairlines, contact marks, or other problems. The strike is strong with full details on Liberty’s head, the centers of the stars, and the feathers of the eagle particularly its legs.

The obverse of the Trade Dollar shows a female figure of Liberty holding a LIBERTY inscribed ribbon. She is seated on a bale of cotton tied with ropes. On another ribbon at the foot of the bale is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. Liberty faces left, perhaps to the Pacific Ocean or China. She wears a beaded coronet similar to the one on the double eagle. In her hand, which is extended, she holds an olive branch, symbol of peace. Behind her left hand is a sheaf of wheat. Around her are thirteen stars interrupted by the olive branch and Liberty’ head. They are spaced four, two and seven. The date is below the motto. The reverse shows an eagle facing right. In its right talons are three arrows, an error from the heraldic point of view. The left talons hold another olive branch. Around the top border is the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Below the inscription is a banner with the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. Below the olive branch and arrows is an inscription 420 GRAINS, 900 FINE. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides, and the edge is reeded.

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The Morgan Dollar is a toned Gem proof 65. It has extremely clean surfaces with no visible hairlines or other distractions. The strike is strong with full details on Liberty’s hair and the eagle’s feathers. The coin is lustrous and toned. Liberty’s cheek and the back of her head are bathed in “white” light. The field in front of her chin and neck is dark sepia. Blue-gray colors the top of her face and most of the field above her head. Sepia and blue-gray mix in the field behind her head. The reverse from left to right is toned from tan and gold to light and dark blue.Morgan’s design for the dollar shows a close head of Liberty in profile facing left. She wears a headband inscribed LIBERTY. In her hair are cotton, corn, wheat, and tobacco. She wears a modified Phrygian cap and is surrounded with the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, thirteen stars (seven left and six right), and the date. The reverse shows an eagle with wings raised looking left. In its talons are arrows and olive branch, symbols of preparedness and peace. A wreath is below and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST is above. Except for the eagle’s wing tips, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and ONE DOLLAR circumscribe the design. The mintmark, if present, is below the wreath and above the denomination.

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Gobrecht was the third Chief Engraver at the United States Mint. He was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania in 1785. His father was a German immigrant, and his mother traced her ancestry to the early settlers of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Gobrecht married Mary Hewes in 1818. One of his early positions was as an engraver of clocks in Baltimore. Later he went to Philadelphia where he became a banknote engraver. He invented a machine that allowed one to convert a three-dimensional medal into an illustration. In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to William Kneass. After Kneass suffered a debilitating stroke, Gobrecht did all the die and pattern work for the Mint. He became Chief Engraver in 1840 and served until his death in 1844. He was famous for his Liberty Seated motif, which was used for all denominations of silver coinage including the half-dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and silver dollar. He also designed the Liberty Head gold eagle, a motif that was also used on the half-cent, the cent, the gold quarter eagle, and the gold half eagle.

When Longacre first came to work at the Mint in 1844, he was opposed by Franklin Peale, the Chief Coiner. Peale was probably responsible for some blundered dies that Longacre was criticized for making. Peal was involved in a private, illegal medal manufacturing business using Mint facilities. He was concerned that this new political appointee would interfere with his business, and he resisted Longacre’s appointment as Chief Engraver. In the end Peale was found out and fired in 1854. Longacre flourished in his position and was responsible for creating many new designs including the Indian Head cent, the two-cent piece, the Shield nickel, the Liberty Head gold dollar, the Indian Princess gold dollar, the three-dollar gold piece, and the Liberty Head double eagle. William Barber was born in England, married and came to the United States as an adult. He was the son of an engraver and had apprenticed to his father in the early years in England. Among other things he learned typesetting for cards and labels and fine silver engraving. He settled in Boston in September 1852 and worked for Gorham & Company, manufacturers of silver and gold jewelry. Barber was responsible for die making and pattern design for Gorham’s trade medals and commemoratives. Eventually, as the Civil War was ending, James B. Longacre, Chief Engraver at the Mint, hired Barber as an assistant in 1865. Barber moved to Philadelphia and began designing patterns and medals for the Mint. One of his most famous medals was the one celebrating the 100th Anniversary of America’s Independence. When Longacre died in 1869, Barber became the fifth Chief Engraver at the Mint. He earned $3,000 per year in salary and held the position until his death in 1879. When he became the Chief Engraver, he immediately hired his unproven son, Charles to be an assistant engraver. This hiring was an example of the kind of patronage that Longacre had tried to eliminate.

Morgan was born on January 4, 1845 in Birmingham, England. Morgan attended the Birmingham Art School and won a scholarship to the South Kensington Art School. He worked as an assistant under the Wyons at the British Royal Mint. In 1876 Morgan immigrated to the United States and was hired as an assistant to William Barber at the United States Mint. Morgan reported directly to Mint Director Henry R. Linderman, whose office was moved to Washington D.C. in 1873, no doubt upsetting Engraver Barber and his son, Assistant Engraver, Charles Barber. Morgan was involved in the production of pattern coins from 1877 until his death in 1925. He designed varieties of the 1877 half dollar, the “Schoolgirl” dollar of 1879, and the “Shield Earring” coins of 1882. He became the seventh Chief Engraver in 1917 with the death of Charles E. Barber. Today, Morgan is most known for his design of the Morgan Dollar of 1878 to 1921. A recently found, although never released design was for the $100 Gold Union.

By some standards his career was a disappointment. He was an Assistant Engraver for over forty years and during that time designed only one regular issued United States coin, the famous Morgan Dollar. In 1917 Charles Barber died. Morgan, at age 72, finally became Chief Engraver.

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Very Truly Yours,

Tom Pilitowski
www.usrarecoininvestments.com
Phone:
1-941-291-2156
Email: TomPilitowski@yahoo.com

 


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