1831 25C Small Letters MS(PCGS#5348)

Summer 2025 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

3046

Grade

MS64

Price

18,600

Lot Description

Tompkins Die Stage 1/4, Rea et al. Die State b. Simply put, this is one of the nicest, most original Mint State examples of the Reduced Diameter Capped Bust quarter as a type that your cataloger (JLA) has ever had the privilege of preparing for auction. The obverse is appreciably prooflike in finish with glowing fields supporting softly frosted motifs. One will need the aid of direct lighting to discern this finish, however, as that side of the coin is dressed in rich, crusty toning of olive-gray and reddish-russet. The reverse is also richly toned, albeit in a blend of softer pewter and olive-gray hues, and it has a more uniformly satiny finish from the die. The strike is razor sharp to full on both sides, the surfaces expertly preserved and smooth enough to suggest that a full Gem Mint State grade is in order here.<p>To prepare the quarter for close collar production, Chief Engraver William Kneass modified John Reich's Capped Bust design to allow it to fit onto smaller planchets of uniform diameter. Kneass refined the portrait and eagle, removed the scroll upon which the Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM had been inscribed, and added a raised border around both sides. This type has since become known to numismatists as the Reduced Diameter, Reduced Size or, more informally, Small Size Capped Bust quarter. It was produced from 1831 through early 1838. The first examples produced in 1831 display small letters in the reverse legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, with all subsequent deliveries displaying large letters. The more frequently encountered die marriages of the 1831 are extremely popular with type collectors, especially those of the one year Small Letters design. Collectors who demand premium quality and strong eye appeal will definitely find much to admire in this conservatively graded MS-64 example.