1866 5C J-468, BN PR (PCGS#60664)
August 2011 Chicago ANA - Rarities Night
- Auctioneer
- Stack's Bowers
- Lot Number
- 7495
- Grade
- PR64
- Price
- 8,338
- Lot Description
- 1866 Pattern Washington Five-Cent Piece. Judd-468, Pollock-561. Rarity-8. Proof-64 BN (PCGS). This is the popular George Washington obverse design with a right facing bust of our nation's first president centered in the field. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST is above and the date 1866 is below. On the reverse of Judd-468, the numeral 5 is centered in a laurel wreath with the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the border. The digit 5 is tall with the tip of the flag pointed. Struck in copper with a plain edge.<br /> There are only about a half dozen examples of Pollock-561 known to exist, which attribution includes both Judd-468 and Judd-469 in copper and bronze, respectively. This lovely copper-brown example is richly and originally toned, the obverse field in particular yielding modest semi reflectivity as the coin dips into a light. Fully struck throughout, the reverse is Gem while the obverse reveals a bit of minor carbon in isolated areas. For pedigree purposes we also note a minor planchet flaw (as made) in the field after the final letter T in TRUST. A handsome piece in all regards.<br /> <br /> <strong>Numismatic Reflections by Q. David Bowers<br /> </strong>A very nice example of the variety, as described. Washington pieces are a specialty in themselves, and this is one of the relatively few legal tender varieties (patterns are indeed legal tender) that were struck outside of the regular and commemorative series. A lot of interest is in the offing, and a strong bid is recommended to take it home.
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