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Images courtesy of Heritage
Numismatic Auctions
Notes:
"In an effort to help
reverse the tide of the Depression, Franklin Roosevelt issued Presidential
Order 6260 in March 1933 halting the release of gold coins from the Mint.
Although the executive order largely failed in its original task, it did
create several noteworthy rarities in the 20th century gold series. Most
notable among these are the 1933 eagle and the 1933 double eagle. While
the latter issue is not believed to have been released before the
president's declaration and, as such, is prohibitively rare, 1933 Indian
eagles are obtainable, albeit very scarce, and always realize strong
prices whenever a survivor appears on the market."
"Following its sizeable
mintage of 4,463,000 pieces in 1932, the Philadelphia Mint opened 1933
with a respectable delivery of 312,500 eagles in January and February. A
few of these coins, perhaps 30-40 pieces, were legally released through
regular channels at this time. The aforementioned presidential order of
March not only halted gold coin production, but prompted the Philadelphia
Mint to melt all remaining 1933 eagles. Fewer than 30 survivors came to
light in an east coast hoard circa 1952. Although a few more individual
coins have since turned up in French and Swiss banks, the 1933 still
retains the honor of being the rarest Indian eagle in all grades."
"While all known 1933
eagles are Uncirculated, most specimens display heavily abraded surfaces."
- from the description of
Lot 7627 in Heritage
Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "Long Beach" Sale, June 8-10,
2000
The finest examples graded by PCGS are 6 MS-65's.
Significant examples:
NGC MS-65. Possibly Kruthoffer collection - Stack's 10/2004:2190,
$718,750 - Legend Numismatics (on behalf of a client). This was the
finest example known at the time of the sale and the selling price set a
new record for the denomination.
PCGS MS-65. Ex: Breen 2 Sale
(Pine Tree, 1975), Lot 328, sold for $46,000 - Stanley Kesselman - Robert E.
Kruthoffer, Jr. Collection (Paramount, 9/81), Lot 65, sold for $79,000. - East
Coast family - Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "Long Beach"
Sale, June 8-10, 2000, Lot 7627, "...frosty, essentially mark-free
features that are indicative of the Gem level. In this regard, the coin is
the equal of the specimen that appeared as lot 873 in Eliasberg's United
States Gold Coin Collection (Bowers & Ruddy, 10/82). Mottled copper
overtones interrupt the otherwise soft, green-gold coloration. The strike
is razor sharp throughout and every last feature is readily appreciable. A
small diagonal abrasion in the reverse field above the P in PLURIBUS is a
useful pedigree marker", sold for $207,000
PCGS MS-65 (illustrated below). Ex - Superior Galleries' "The ANA 2001 National
Money Show Auction", March 8-9, 2001, Lot 891, "PCGS Holder
#4946164", plated, unsold
PCGS MS-64. Ex -
Stack's "William Thomas Michaels", January 21, 2004, Lot 3032,
illustrated, no prior pedigree, sold for $150,000.00
"Very Choice Brilliant
Uncirculated". Ex - Sotheby's / Stack's "Dallas Bank Collection",
October 29-30, 2001, Lot 599, sold for $149,500.00. Small contact
mark on Liberty's cheekbone, tiny cut across NU of UNUM, extending to the
B of PLURIBUS, heavier cut on the eagle's "shoulder", tiny horizontal mark
on the left side of the eagle's neck.
Sources and/or recommended
reading:
"Walter Breen's
Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins" by Walter Breen
The PCGS Population Report, January
2004" by The Professional Coin Grading Service
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