1796 10C JR-3 MS(PCGS#38744)

March 2020 Baltimore U.S. Coins Auction

Auktionator

Stack's Bowers

Losnummer

3129

Erhaltungsgrad

MS63

Preis

21.600

Losbeschreibung

Finest Known Terminal Die State 1796 JR-3 Dime Ex French-Clarke-Walter-Gardner 1796 Draped Bust Dime. JR-3. Rarity-5. MS-63 (NGC). Offered is the finer of only two known examples of the JR-3 terminal die state, and a Condition Census representative of the variety as a whole. Beautifully toned in even steel gray patina, with iridescent pale gold undertones. The strike is bold, if not sharp in all areas, and the underlying satin luster is vibrant. The JR-3 die pairing is the second rarest of the seven known for 1796-dated Draped Bust dimes. At some point fairly early on in its life, the reverse die -- which was used only for JR-3 -- experienced a major triangle-shaped rim break above the TA in STATES, with a die crack also leading through the wreath and piercing the eagle's left wing. This break proved to be terminal for the die and resulted in only a small number of examples being struck with this feature, hence its rarity today. So far, only two examples are known in the terminal die state, with this by far the finer of the pair. A second MS-63 JR-3 dime is known, but the reverse die had not yet become terminal at the time that coin was struck. As a type, the Draped Bust, Small Eagle dimes are the most challenging of the entire denomination to acquire, especially in higher grades. At the top of the Condition Census, and with the added appeal of an extensive provenance tracing back nearly 65 years, this dime is a specialist's delight. Provenance: Ex Dr. George P. French; T. James Clarke; New Netherlands's sale of April 1956, lot 1621; Lester Merkin; our (Stack's) sale of November 1994, lot 767; our (Stacks') sale of the John Whitney Walter Collection, May 1999, lot 1767; Heritage's Milwaukee ANA Signature sale of August 2007, lot 1614; David Lawrence's sale of October 2007, lot 5336; Heritage's sale of the Gardner Collection, October 2014, lot 9822; Heritage's June 2015 Auction, lot 3849; our sale of August 2015, lot 10055; our sale of October 2015, lot 21. NGC Census (all varieties): 22; 39 finer. PCGS# 4461. NGC ID: 236B. Click here for certification details from NGC.