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Images courtesy of Superior
Galleries
Notes:
"After
Robert Scot died in 1823, the Mint hired William Kneass, a local engraver
of bank-note plates, as his successor. One of Kneass' assignments was not
to create new designs but to improve existing designs of all series in his
spare time, by mechanically multiplying working dies from current device
punches. This project yielded modified designs for quarter eagles in 1829
Kneass' modifications were notable for smaller stars and letters (from
punches by Christian Gobrecht), redrawn heads and eagles (with a more
professionally finished look than Scot's), but most of all for beaded
borders surrounded by a plain raised rim produced by a 'close collar.'
Mintage remained of roughly the same quantities as 1821-27, though
survivors like this choice 1831 are slightly rarer. Since there was too
little bank demand for quarter eagles in any one year to exhaust the
effective life of any one obverse die, for each year there is only one
variety."
- from the description of
Lot 2083 in Superior
Galleries' "Pre-Long Beach Sale", June 5-7, 2000
The finest Uncirculated example
graded by PCGS is a single MS-67.
The finest Proof example graded by PCGS is a single PR-66.
Significant
examples:
NGC Proof-64 Cameo
- Stack's "J.F. Bell" 1944:97
- Numismatic Gallery "Memorable" Collection 03/1948:91, $65.00,
"Proof"
- John Pittman
- Akers "John J. Pittman, Part Two" 05/1998:1717, $88,000,
"Very Choice Uncirculated - Possible Proof", raw
- Heritage "FUN" 01/2002:7973, NGC PR-64 Cameo, not sold
- Offered by Albanese Rare Coins, Inc. in the
December 30, 2003 issue of Numismatic News for $195,000.00
Proof
- J. Colvin Randall, 1885:975
- Parmelee 1890:1004
- William Woodin:946
- Grant Pierce:1085, $3,000.00
- Jimmy Hayes
PR-66 Deep Cameo (per Jeff
Garrett)
Smithsonian
NGC Proof-63. Ex - Bowers and Merena Galleries "The Rarities
Sale", July 31, 2002, Lot 700, illustrated, sold for $54,050.00
PCGS MS-64 (illustrated above). Ex - Superior Galleries' "Pre-Long
Beach Sale", June 5-7, 2000, Lot 2083, where it was described as
follows: "1831 PCGS MS64 With superb strike and reflective fields.
This important early gold coin also happens to be in handsome condition.
Its color is fresh greenish golden and displays frosted devices,
reflective fields, full rims without impairment, and needle-sharp stars.
The eagle, too, outshines most all early Quarter Eagles which tend to be
found weak in centers.", sold for $22,425.00
Recent appearances:
PCGS MS-62. Ex - Bowers and Merena Galleries "The Rarities
Sale", July 31, 2002, Lot 701, illustrated, sold for $12,650.00
NGC AU-55. Ex - Heritage
Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s, "Summer 2001 Long Beach Signature
Sale", May 31-June 2, 2001, Lot 8831, illustrated, sold for $6,440.00
Choice AU. Ex - Stack's "The
Marvin Taichert Collection of U.S. Type Coins", May 9, 2001, Lot 66,
illustrated, sold for $8,337.50
PCGS AU-50. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The Rarities
Sale", January 3, 2001, Lot 427, "Breen-6134, B-1",
illustrated, sold for $6,325.00 From the Bowers and Merena
Rarities Sale, August 1998, Lot 288
AU-50. Ex- Heritage
Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "October 2000 Long Beach Sale"
October 5-7, 2000, Lot 7060, illustrated, not sold - Ex: Blauvelt Collection (Bowers &
Ruddy, 2/77), lot 651
Sources and/or
recommended reading:
"Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial
Coins" by Walter Breen
"The PCGS Population
Report, April 2004" by The
Professional Coin Grading Service
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