1860 $2.50 Clark, Gruber & Co. MS(PCGS#10135)

The March 2011 Baltimore Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

7266

Grade

MS61

Price

9,200

Lot Description

1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. $2.50 Gold. K-1. Rarity-4. MS-61 (NGC). A lustrous Mint State coin that boasts rich coppery-gold toning on both sides. The strike is typical for this issue, with minor softness on the coronet and the eagle on the reverse. These were struck with Colorado gold in the year before the Civil War. Most of these provisional coins were circulated in the territory, with no effort to save them by numismatists, except by the Mint Cabinet in Philadelphia. To facilitate accepted circulation, the design features were created to mimic the current Quarter Eagle, with a similar coronet head on Liberty but inscribed CLARK & CO surrounded by stars with the date below, the reverse with an eagle with outstretched wings, denomination below and PIKES PEAK GOLD DENVER surrounding. The present piece has truly impressive quality for this Territorial issue, certainly ranking in the top five percent of survivors.