1893 25C Isabella PR(PCGS#9221)

The March 2012 Baltimore Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

4167

Grade

PR65

Price

40,250

Lot Description

1893 Isabella Quarter. Proof-65 (PCGS). Reflective fields and lightly dusted motifs engaged by lively gold and deep electric blue iridescence. A sharply rendered specimen with all of Barber's tiny details presented to their fullest. One of only 103 Proofs reportedly struck, all in presentation envelopes numbered 1 through 100, plus the numbers 400 (years since the "discovery" of America by Christopher Columbus), 1492, and 1892; the Breen&nbsp;<em>Encyclopedia </em>(1988)&nbsp;notes that most of the presentation envelopes have been lost to the ages. Petitioned by the Board of Lady Managers of the Columbian Exposition, the issue features a stylized portrait of Queen Isabella as the central obverse device, with a kneeling woman with spindle in hand signifying the industrious nature of women as the reverse design. Isabella quarters sold for $1.00 each at the Exposition. A visually pleasing and physically sharp example, the finest certified by PCGS, and no doubt destined for an advanced commemorative coinage collection.