Lot 1849

Struck 7% Off-center at 10:30. Plain edge. Sharply struck and fully lustrous with predominantly ivory surfaces surrounded by peripheral deep steel and iridescent toning. An extremely appealing example. In early numismatic years, off-center and other error coins were actually considered less than desirable. Early in the 20th century, such coins were often called "freaks." This less than positive connotation carried through to at least 1975. When offering this coin as part of the James A. Stack Collection in March of that year, Stack's described this as: "A freak specimen, struck off center to 11 o'clock. Plain edge. Brilliant Uncirculated gem. Full blazing mint lustre with golden and iridescent toning. We cannot recall ever having seen another freak of this series!" In 1993, Heritage offered this coin as part of their ANA sale. At that time, they gave this coin a 46 word description. Perhaps, as time goes on, it may some day merit a full page! Truly the piece is highly significant and unusual.

As a die marriage, this variety is quite available in all grades including Mint State. As an important error in the Capped Bust quarter dollar series, this is doubtless extremely rare, although we hesitate to suggest that it is unique.

Both obverse and reverse have light clash marks, those on the obverse extremely faint. The reverse die is shattered and is in a later die state than any recorded by Breen in his update of the Browning reference. This die has a bisecting die crack through the second T of STATES, across the scroll, beak, shield, arrowfeathers, and stem to the left side of 5. Another crack from the border through period reaches the middle claw on the right. A further die crack, not listed by Breen, crosses the right arm of T in UNITED, into the field.

Ten die marriages are known from a mintage of 361,174 coins. This mintage was produced from five obverse and seven reverse dies. The obverse of this overdate variety, in a later die state, was used for the Browning-3 combination. Walter Breen recorded an additional variety in his update of the Browning reference, however, he also stated that this coin had only once been seen by him in 1978 and never again. Today, this is not recognized as a legitimate variety.