1877-S $2.50 MS(PCGS#7827)

1877-S $2.50 MS (PCGS#7827)

Summer 2025 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Losbeschreibung: A remarkable condition rarity from an underrated San Francisco Mint quarter eagle issue of the 1870s. Exquisite surfaces host iridescent toning in vivid pinkish-rose and powder blue that is bolder and more extensive on the reverse. Both sides are equally lustrous with a smooth, satiny texture overall. Strike detail is bold to sharp throughout, and the quality is such that the validity of the Gem Mint State grade from PCGS is beyond contestation.<p>While the return of gold coins to active commercial use in the East and Midwest was still nearly two years in the future, in the American West these coins continued to circulate actively in 1877 as they had done before, during and after the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. The preference was for large denomination coins, however, as the San Francisco Mint's delivery of just 35,400 quarter eagles in 1877 illustrates. Most of those coins entered the avenues of commerce with little fanfare, but while circulated survivors are seen often enough in today's market, they are in no way "common." Mint State coins are scarce in lower grades, a fact not widely recognized in numismatic circles, while a Gem 1877-S such as this is a landmark condition rarity. This is a beautiful coin that deserves to be featured as a highlight in the collection of an astute gold collector.