Only a few proof 1834 half dollars are known, mostly restrikes from the dies used to produce the Crushed Lettered Edge coins. In the catalog of the George “Buddy” Byers Collection (Stack’s, 10/2006), the cataloger enumerated these Overton varieties used to produce the Crushed Lettered Edge restrikes, of which at least 10 pieces survive in all: O-101, O-103, O-104, O-106, O-114, and O-122.

The cataloger also included five Overton varieties known for the 1834 proof half dollars, each unique original coins, that were not CLE restrikes. Those varieties include: O-101 (Large Date, Large Letters, ex: Floyd Starr), O-103 (Large Date, Large Letters; in the King of Siam set), O-104 (the present piece, from the Norweb Collection), O-106 (Large Date, Small Letters; the Byers coin), and O-114 (Small Date, Small Letters; Bowers and Merena, 8/1991, lot 2268). Each one of those unique proof original half dollars is much, much rarer than the 1834 Crushed Lettered Edge restrikes.

The present coin is one of those original pieces, unique as far as we can determine. The catalogers in the Norweb Collection sale described it in this way:

“1834 O-104. Large Date, Small Letters. Proof-64/65. A glittering gem specimen with full Proof surface on all areas, including within the shield stripes on the reverse. This piece is breathtakingly beautiful and is toned a delicate blend of muted rainbow colors, ranging from magenta at the center, to electric and gunmetal blue, to gold at the borders.

“Perhaps unique as a die variety; Walter Breen did not know of other examples, but he was aware of this one, as he participated in the sale of it to Mrs. Norweb. “Here is a superb gem coin, a half dollar for the ages.”

Technical Description: Large Date, Small Letters. The 4 in the date is tall and recut, with the 18 wider than 834. The 4 is higher. The Overton reference describes the date “with an open 3 and extra tall tapered 1″ a half-millimeter from the drapery, “the closest of any large date 1834.” On the reverse the top of the C in the denomination is close to the olive stem. The I is centered left of the crossbar of the T. This die lacks the die lump normally seen on business strikes under TE, providing evidence that this proof was struck first. The thin left stand of the M is joined at its base to the center stand.

The coin realized $28,600 in the Norweb sale, a remarkably strong price for the time. We would add little to that glowing description–which is nonetheless completely accurate–except to say that the surfaces are little changed in 22-plus years, and to mention that the strike is virtually complete in all areas, save for trifling weakness on some peripheral obverse stars and the tops of 50 and C on the reverse. For the most advanced half dollar specialist, this coin could form the start of a marvelous adventure, trying to acquire as many different proof Overton varieties of the year as possible. Almost certainly the rarest single coin in this incredible set. Census (all varieties): 2 in 65, 1 finer (11/10).

Ex: Virgil Brand Collection; New Netherlands Coin Company (11/1954); Mrs. R. Henry Norweb, Jr.; Norweb Collection (Bowers and Merena, 11/1988), lot 3107, which realized $28,600. (#6217)

This coin will be sold on Platinum Night by Heritage at the 2010 Fun Auction as lot # 5332

Related posts:

1. Coin Profile: The Farouk-Norweb 1915 No S Panama-Pacific Half Dollar in Gold
2. Unique Items: 1865 50C Half Dollar, Judd-431, Pollock-504, Unique
3. Norweb 1797 MS-66 Half Dollar to be sold by Stacks

Heritage Auctions, the official auctioneer of the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) Show, will present a substantial number of rare and exceptional notes as part of its Signature® Currency Auction. The auction will consist of three floor sessions, held Jan. 6-8, 2011 in Tampa, FL and one online-only session that will take place Jan. 10, 2011 in Dallas, TX.

Among the scarce items is a newly discovered Fr. 10a $10 1861 Demand Note, the only known example. The recently released 19^th edition of Paper Money of the United States listed examples of that Friedberg number as “unknown.” Clerks signed the notes on behalf of the Treasurer of the United States and the secretary of the Treasury and included the handwritten notation “for the.” The process proved to be too cumbersome and the plates were changed to include that wording. All of the handwritten “for the” examples are rare today, with a St. Louis example unknown until now.

A number of exceptional Large Size Legal Tender notes are being offered, including a Fr. 127 $20 1869 Legal Tender graded by PCGS as Gem New 65PPQ. That note is among a large number of outstanding notes being offered as part of The Menlo Park Collection. A Fr. 1072a $100 1914 Red Seal Federal Reserve Note graded PCGS Gem New 65PPQ is also being auctioned as part of the collection.

Also among the Legal Tender offerings is a Fr. 158 $50 1880 Legal Tender graded by PCGS Choice About New 55. A rare note, it is one of only nine examples known. The $50 is new to the census and is being offered publicly for the first time.

Several exceedingly rare replacement notes will be presented, including a Fr. 303* $10 1908 Silver Certificate, one of only three replacement notes known for the type, graded Very Good 10 Net by PMG. The note is new to the census and is being offered to the collecting community for the first time.

An attractive uncut sheet of serial number 2 1882 Brown Backs from Lynchburg, VA is among the Nationals that will be auctioned. The $50-$100 uncut sheet is one of only two known examples from all states. Additionally, the $50 Brown Back is the only known example from Virginia. The $50-$100 1882 Brown Backs Fr. 510/522 from The Lynchburg NB Ch. #1522 are graded About Uncirculated 53 by PMG.

A lovely Campbell, NE- $10 1902 Red Seal Fr. 615 First NB Ch. # (W)8975 graded Fine 15 by PCGS becomes the first reported note from the bank. Among the many new discoveries is a Fr. 830 $20 1915 Federal Reserve Bank Note that becomes only the fourth known example. The Dallas $20 is graded PMG Choice Fine 15.

Another rarity, a Fr. 1383-a Fractional Currency Shield with Green Background, will also cross the auction block. The green background examples are the rarest of the three colors, with approximately ten examples known. The green background is deep and vibrant on this shield and the beautifully framed piece should merit spirited bidding.

The only known example of the Barlett (Bartlett), TX title error will be part of the Nationals session. The title error on the $10 1929 Type 1 Fr. 1801-1 The First NB Ch #5422 was discovered by one of Heritage’s catalogers after the note was consigned. The $10 is graded PMG Very Fine 25.

A stunning set of front and back Die Proofs featuring a Fr. 1500 $1 1928 Legal Tender Note; Fr. 1850-G $5 1929 $5 FRBN; Fr. 1860-G $10 1929 FRBN; Fr. 1870-G $20 1929 FRBN; Fr. 1880-G $50 1929 FRBN; and Fr. 1890-G $100 1929 FRBN will provide an important session highlight. The notes are accompanied by a letter from Secretary of the Treasury William H. Woodin stating that the proofs were furnished to James H. Douglas who served as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under Ogden Mills from February 1932 to June 1933. Douglas also served as Secretary of the Air Force under President Eisenhower. The item was consigned by the Douglas family and is accompanied by a sheet of Fr. 1602 $1 1928-B Silver Certificates. It was the third sheet printed and is the only known 1928-B sheet

Yet another unique note being offered in Tampa is a Fr. 2220-K 1928 $5000 Federal Reserve Note graded by PCGS as Apparent Fine 15. That Friedberg number was previously unreported. The Dallas $5000 note has been locked away in a vault for decades and is being offered at auction for the first time.

One of the highlights of the auction for Small Size enthusiasts is a Fr. 2308* $10 North Africa Mule Star Silver Certificate. PMG assigned a grade of Very Fine 25 to the scarce note.

A number of rare Obsoletes will be included in the FUN auction, among them an Austin, TX- Republic of Texas 25¢ May 1, 1843 PMG Very Fine 20. Exchequer notes were the last paper money of the Republic and were issued from 1842-45. They were closely controlled and diligently destroyed when redeemed due to their being backed by gold, leaving only an estimated two dozen or so examples of all denominations combined for collectors. These important notes were also actually signed by Sam Houston.

Heritage Auctions, headed by Steve Ivy, Jim Halperin and Greg Rohan, is the world’s third largest auction house, with annual sales more than $600 million, and 500,000+ online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.

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2. Newly uncovered 1915 $5 note at Heritage CSNS
3. Heritage to offer Mansfield note

Designed and struck by Nicholas Veeder of Pittsburgh, PA in 1886 as a model for co-metallic coins and medals in an effort to demonstrate the practicality of using both Gold and Silver in the production of coinage.

Veeder published a booklet in 1885 titled “Co-metallism: A Plan for Combining Gold and Silver in Coinage, for Uniting and Blending their values in Paper Money and for Establishing a Composite Single Standard Dollar of Account” Quite a title !

According to reference books, the reaction at the time, to both the idea and the pattern itself were not positive, and many likened the coin to the “Goldoid” patterns previously produced in 1878.

For an interesting history of “The Patterns for International Coinage” , go to the USPatterns.com website for a summary excerpted from Stacks October 2000, 65th Anniversary Sale pages 160-161.

This is an R-8 coin, and it has been reported that the dies used to make this broke on the third impression. That has not be confirmed, but adds a bit to the mystery and unusual character of the coin.

The obverse shows a Sun and Rays on the Gold center insert with two beaded circles housing the words “Model for Cometallic Coins and Medals” On the outside border of the Silver portion of the coin reads “Republic of Eutopia” and the date 1886.

The reverse shows the Gold insert with the words “Gold 12.9/10 Grains with a beaded circle around, and then the lettering (separated)” A R G E N T O R U M Silver 206 1/4 Grs” On the outer edges of the coins are displayed the 12 signs of the Zodiac

Related posts:

1. Unusual Items: 1915 50C Pan-Pac Half Dollar in Gold
2. Unusual Items: 1874 Dana Bickford Ten Dollar Gold Coin
3. Unusual Items: 1836 Gobrecht Dollar, Judd-63 Name Below Base, Starless Obverse and Reverse

You may have noticed the past two weeks or so we have been saying and doing little with our web site. NEWPS have been minimal and Market Reports and Hot Topics have slowed. We can now tell you why. We have been super busy traveling completing deals-not just any deals, deals that are at world record prices and that include some of the rarest coins on earth! We are now finally back home and are pleased to make the following announcement:

LEGEND NUMISMATICS HAS BOUGHT AND SOLD THE UNIQUE 1C 1943D COPPER FOR $1,700,000.00!

We actually purchased a 3 coin coin deal for $2,000,000.00. We figured the 1943D at $1.7 million cost. The other two coins in the deal were the finest 1944 P Steel cent PCGS MS64, and a 1C 1942 PCGS 65 made out of white metal. Yes, you have read this right-3 pennys for $2 million dollars!

The 1943D and the 1944P are both now part of the ONLY COMPLETE PDS sets for their metals. The steel cent collection is by far the finest, as are the coppers. We are hoping to display both these sets at the PCGS table at FUN 2011.

Hard to believe, but Legend tried unsuccessfully for four years to buy the 1943D. The seller in the end was still reluctant. However, we can state ALL of the monies he received from the sale are going to a pet charity project of his. The seller (who wishes to remain anonymous) was represented by Lincoln Cent Specialist Andy Skrabalack of Angel Dee’s.

Our customer is thrilled to own the 1943D. Ever since he heard the coin existed, we had been sent on a mission to acquire it. His desire to own the complete and only PDS copper set came from his finding what he thought was a 1943 copper when he was young. Sadly, this piece was found to be a fake. Still he keeps this coin in his desk draw. He believes 43 Coppers are one of the ultimate classic rarities (and so do we). While the price we paid was stiff, the monies went to a good cause and the coins are now locked away in a great home.

Legend Numismatics has handled MANY million dollar plus classic rarities over the years. The 1943D really is one special highlight for us. We thank the seller and congratulate the new owner. For us, it really has been a career highlight.

WHAT ELSE DID WE TRAVEL FOR?

We have now flown several coast to coast trips over the past 2 weeks. There have also been stops in Dallas, NYC, and Denver in between.

One exciting collection we purchased was a spectacular Pattern Collection. When we got the call we were like, “oh great, more patterns”. This deal turned out to be an incredible “old time” collection with the majority of the coins being raw. Highlights included Earring Quarters, Amazionan Dollars, and several R-8 Seated patterns. These coins will be sent in for grading shortly. We did not grade anything less than PR65! ALL of the coins have been off the market for at least 20+ years. Guess we can never have enough great Patterns!

Besides patterns, we also bought and sold a 50C 1919D PCGS MS65. The price was in excess of $200,000.00. This sale now completes what maybe the second finest Walker set assembled (no, its NOT registered).

Over the next 2-3 weeks as we get coins back from the services, you’ll see some spectacular Type we picked up on these road trips. Most of the coins have NOT been seen in at least a decade.

MARKET ACTIVITY

Some skeptics will say our customer base does not resemble the true marketplace. While not everyone pays almost $2 million for a penny, the fact that we have so many eager buyers at the higher levels shows strong confidence in the market. If there were only confidence in MS65 Walkers, the market would be in trouble. We have done substantial business not “on the radar” in the past 2-3 weeks. We though it would have been a “dead time” and were we wrong!

People are definitely there for the “right” coins. Still need rare PR gold, HR’s in MS67, GEM silver Bust coins, MS 65 and better Seated Dollars,etc. Gold certainly is helping things too: We have been running tape messages for commoner coins like non 1908 PCGS MS66 CAC Saints. We will buy EVERYONE that has a green bean ever made (we are paying $3,450.00-price subject to change). Our demand is that strong. Maybe now you can see that we are not exaggerating when we say: if we had the right coins, we could sell at least $20,000,000.00 immediately.

NO LONG BEACH FOR US

Now you can understand why we will NOT be in attendance at the Long Beach Show now going on. We’re exhausted and decided to take this show off. This is only the second time in 30+years we have missed a Long Beach Show.

Legend WILL attend and have its double table at next weeks Whitman Show in Philadelphia.

THE SIMPSON DUPLICATE PATTERNS

We finally have the balance of the duplicate patterns from the Simpson Collection ready for sale. We will bring them to Phili and we will start posting them shortly on our web site. There are so many coins here it will take us 3-4 postings to list everything!

The Denali Collection will have a full color catalog in another week or so and then we will being selling those coins.

We appreciate all the interest that has been expressed in these two magnificent groups of coins.

Related posts:

1. Unique Bronze 1943-D Lincoln Cent Sold for $1.7 Million by Legend
2. Legend Numismatics Arranges $30+ Million Sale of Pattern Coins
3. Finest Lincoln Cents & Registry Rarities Star In Heritage’s $11 Million Houston Coin Auction

The only known 1943-dated Lincoln cent mistakenly struck at the Denver Mint on a bronze planchet has been sold for a record $1.7 million by Legend Numismatics of Lincroft, New Jersey. The unique coin, not publicly known to exist until 1979, is graded PCGS MS64BN.

The new owner is a Southwestern United States business executive who wants to remain anonymous, but who plans to exhibit this coin and others in January at the Florida United Numismatists convention.

He also purchased in the same transaction through Legend a 1944 Philadelphia Mint cent struck on a zinc planchet, graded PCGS MS64, for $250,000, and an experimental 1942 Philadelphia cent mostly composed of tin for $50,000. The unnamed new owner plans to exhibit these coins and others at the Florida United Numismatists convention in January.

(Photo credit: Legend Numismatics.)

“The 1943-D bronze cent is the most valuable cent in the world, and it took four years of aggressive negotiations with the coin’s owner until he agreed to sell it.”

“The new owner is proudly now the only collector to ever own the all-time finest and complete sets of Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco 1943 bronze cents and 1944 steel cents,” said Laura Sperber, President of Legend Numismatics.

“The new owner is a prominent Southwestern business executive who’s been collecting since he was a teenager, searching through pocket change looking for rare coins. As a youngster he thought he’d actually found a 1943 copper cent in circulation but it was not authentic. He still has that in his desk drawer, but now he’s the only person to ever assemble a complete set of genuine 1943 bronze cents, one each from the Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco Mints. He will display that set at FUN along with his 1944 Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco zinc cents,” said Sperber.

The anonymous collector who formerly owned the coin “donated it to a charitable organization so they could sell it with all of the proceeds going to the charity,” according to Andy Skrabalak of Angel Dee’s Coins and Collectibles in Woodbridge, Virginia who acted as agent on behalf of the former owner.

“As a specialist in small cents, this transaction is the ultimate accomplishment for me and I’m privileged to be part of it. I don’t think it will ever be duplicated in my lifetime,” said Skrabalak.

Zinc-coated steel was used for producing cents in 1943 to conserve copper for other uses during World War II, but a small number of coins were mistakenly struck on bronze planchets left over from 1942.

“We estimate that less than 20 Lincoln cents were erroneously struck in bronze at the Philadelphia and San Francisco Mints in 1943, but this is the only known example from the Denver Mint,” explained Don Willis, President of Professional Coin Grading Service.

Sperber said the collector’s historic, mis-made World War II era cents will be displayed during the first three days of the FUN convention in Tampa, Florida, January 6 – 8, 2011.

For additional information, contact Legend Numismatics at (800) 743-2646 or visit online at www.LegendCoin.com.

News media contacts:

Laura Sperber, President of Legend Numismatics who obtained and sold the $1.7 million 1943-D bronze cent, Office (732) 935-1795

Andy Skrabalak, Owner of Angel Dee’s Coins and Collectibles and agent for seller of the unique coin, Office (703) 580-6969

Don Willis, President of Professional Coin Grading Service, the company that authenticated the unique cent, Office (949) 567-1154

Related posts:

1. 1943-S Lincoln Cent Struck in Bronze sold by Heritage for $207K
2. Unique 1943 Bronze Cents Set To Be Displayed at the FUN Show
3. Previously Unaccounted 1943-S Bronze Cent Acquired by Rare Coin Wholesalers