1825/4/1 $5 BD-1 MS(PCGS#519936)

1825/4/1 $5 BD-1 MS (PCGS#519936)

Dr. Juan XII Suros

Losbeschreibung: 1825, 5 over 1. BD-1. Breen-6483. PCGS graded Mint State 64. The Norweb Specimen. Population: 2/1. General Description: If 1825, 5 over 4 is the Emperor among Half Eagles of this decade, then 1825, 5 over 1 is the Empress. A superb gem with prooflike field on the obverse and frosty reverse, the strike is little short of outstanding! Over the years the coin acquired lovely coppery orange toning that interacts with the greenish deep-golden metal to give a beautiful and fascinating "feel" to the coin. This sur¬ faced, after many years locked in a strongbox, in the Bowers and Merena "Norweb" series of sales in 1987. The cataloger described it as "a great rarity, and it is believed that only about three dozen pieces are known. Walter Breen enumerates 16 specific specimens. The coin offered here is cer¬ tainly one of the finest of the few survivors, outclassing the EF-45/AU-50 Eliasberg piece. Dave Akers notes that the issue 'is really very rare.'" Now housed in a PCGS encapsulation (#5350292), it sits on an imperial throne as the Second Finest Certified and tied with one other for the Second Finest Known, an Empress among gold Half Eagles to put it in its proper light! Pedigree: From S. H. Chapman's sale of the Charles G. Zug Collection, October 22, 1909; The Norweb Collection, Bowers and Merena Inc., October 12-13, 1987, Lot 776; Dr. Suros purchased it for $95,000 in a private treaty transaction.