1873 $2.50 Open 3 MS(PCGS#7817)

June 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

2322

Grade

MS66

Price

9,000

Lot Description

A jewel of a coin with rich rose-gold billows of satiny mint luster blanketing smartly impressed surfaces. The precise strike allows for the minutest aspects of this classic design to be readily appreciated by the most selective of gold aficionados. Expertly produced, carefully preserved, and breathtakingly beautiful.<p>When production of quarter eagles began for 1873, the initial date logotype employed a 3 with the two loops terminated by large balls that were so close together in the middle that the digit could easily be mistaken for an 8. The chief coiner raised concerns early in the production cycle and soon thereafter, William Barber furnished a new logotype with significantly smaller terminal balls. A total of 178,025 quarter eagles were struck in 1873, of which 122,800 or roughly two-thirds bear the Open 3 date logotype. While the more available of the two types, locating a true Gem Mint State example can be a challenge. For those seeking one of the very best examples, the quest can end here with an aggressive bidding strategy for this phenomenal condition rarity.