1857 1C J-186 PR(PCGS#11815)

November 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

3208

Grade

PR66

Price

16,800

Lot Description

<strong>Obv:</strong> Liberty head facing left with 13 stars around the border and the date 1857 below. Liberty is wearing a coronet, and her hair is tied back with a ribbon. The portrait is almost identical to that used by the Mint for regular issue nickel three-cent coinage beginning in 1865. <strong>Rev:</strong> A laurel wreath surrounds the denomination ONE CENT. Both sides are warmly and attractively toned with gold, pink and blue predominating. Sharply struck with virtually all design elements showing full definition. The finish is bold and satiny, the surfaces carefully preserved to readily uphold the premium Gem Proof assessment from PCGS.<p>Of this rare Judd number the <em>uspatterns.com</em> website observes:<p><em>This piece combines the high date variety quarter eagle obverse from J189/P226 combined with the reverse used on J149/P178. It is unclear if this is really a pattern design or a fantasy muling.</em><p>Only about a half dozen specimens are known, one of which (the Byron Reed coin) is at the Durham Museum. This fleeting bidding opportunity is for one of the two finest certified by PCGS, and it deserves the utmost attention of specialists.