1854 G50C BG-403 MS(PCGS#10439)

Spring 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

4843

Grade

MS63

Price

5,280

Lot Description

This rare and significant variety is one of just two of the round 50 cents denomination that displays the maker's initials FD - for Frontier, Deviercy & Co. - prominently on the obverse. The other is the nearly as rare BG-404, and the two were actually coined from the same obverse die. Writing in the 2003 edition of the Breen-Gillio reference California Pioneer Fractional Gold, Bob Leonard enumerates just nine examples of BG-403. Of those, one is plugged, and it is noted that there may be some duplication in the listings, which probably explains the "7 to 9 known" provided by PCGS CoinFacts. No matter the actual number, the present piece is among the finest known when compared to the coins in the Leonard census. This lightly toned Choice Mint State example will be a welcomed addition to another specialized cabinet. Only one other BG-403 appears in our online archives, also a PCGS MS-63 coin that realized $5,760 in our August 2021 sale of the Oregon Collection.