1821 25C B-5 MS(PCGS#38967)

Summer 2025 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

4281

Grade

AU55

Price

2,040

Lot Description

Tompkins Die Stage 1/1, Rea et al. Die State P. <strong>Tompkins Plate Coin</strong>. Brilliant light silver gray surfaces allow ready appreciation of frosty luster and bolly defined motifs. Many of the obverse stars are blunt and lack centrils, typical of the die pairing, but both sides show only light high point wear to help explain the Choice AU grade from NGC. A tiny nick in the lower obverse field, above the date, is the only singularly mentionable mark and, as such, the most useful marker that identifies this as the Tompkins plate coin.<p>This very scarce Browning number represents the only use of both the obverse and reverse dies. The offered coin was struck from the early, perfect die state, the obverse not yet lapped and retaining the die line from the bottom of Liberty's bust, before the first digit in the date. Interestingly, in light of its overall scarcity, the 1821 B-5 has a number of Mint State survivors. Obviously a small group of these were kept from entering circulation at the time of delivery. The Tompkins Reference Collection specimen in NGC AU-55 did circulate, but minimally, and would nicely represent the variety in many specialized collections.<p><strong>Steve M. Tompkins Commentary:</strong> Charlton Meyers, affectionately called "Swampy" by his friends in the BHNC due to living in the Louisiana bayou, was the first documented collector to complete a set of Capped Bust half dollars (1807-1836) by Overton number, a whopping 350 different die marriages. But many do not know that he was just as complete with his set of Bust quarters. The only thing that kept me from buying more of his coins when his collection was offered to me was funds, as there were so many nice, rare, high grade pieces included therein.