Re-discovered rare variety Seated Liberty Quarter

[bk]

I was sitting here today looking at some of my previous years finds when I discovered this 1853 Seated Liberty quarter. (Found in 1990).
I have found other 1853 quarters before, but they were all the "arrow & ray's" variety.
This one didn't have the arrows at the date, or ray's on the reverse, so when I looked it up in the Red Book, I found that there was a variety of the 1853 quarter that didn't have arrows or rays. According to the book, there were only 44,200 of these minted, compared to 15,210,000 of the variety with "arrows & ray's".
Although it will only grade AG, I figure it's worth keeping.
I have included a picture of this coin, and compared it to a variety with arrows and ray's.

 

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[bk]

Here is the variety with Arrows and Ray's

 

[bk]

Here are a couple of closeup pics of the obverse and reverse.

 

[EDDE]

Fing SLAMMING BK!!

 

[hollowpointred]

even in AG condition its still a beautifull coin and an outstanding find! i would keep it too! great stuff!!

 

[Jeffro]

Maybe I'm seeing things, but the coin appears to have been doctored at one time a long time ago. If you looks at the right side of the coin (Our right, the eagle's left) you can see faint outlines of rays starting just above the wing, and rotating down for a little bit. also near his claw, as you go clockwise, and in the area between the other claw and wing. Just looking at it, they look like scratches, but too many of them line up with where the Rays are SUPPOSED to be on the "with rays" type.

Also note on the obverse, beside the date on one side it is completely worn away, no tells here.... but on the other side of the date, it looks like what appears to be a larger font "7" barely visible where the arrow should be. Like maybe someone made a mistake when removing the arrows, and hit it with a punch to smooth the silver back out? then rub it down again?

Maybe this was a practice coin to a "coin doctorer"? I can't say for sure, I'm no expert definately! But too many coincidences... I'm thinkin'. especially since the normal 1853 is really common. With 15 million "with rays" and only 44,000 "without" , you can bet there are quite a few doctored ones out there. And for every doctored one, theres bound to be scads of "practice pieces". The commons wouldn't be worth much, worth ruining a few to try and get a good fake "no rays" type.

No matter what, still one heck of a good find! And definately worth asking someone who knows more about it than I do, LOL! Even in AG, that coin if it's real, would be worth a few dinero's...

 

[bk]

Okay, the jury is back on this. I took the coin to a coin show here this weekend. We have 50% ya, and 50 % nay.
The two nay's were suspicius about the wear and scratches on the coin. (so was I). However, one guy who specializes in type coin varieties said without a doubt its real. He was the only one who really examined the coin closely, and then weighed it. He was convinced that it was real because the weight was "right". He also told me that bid was $225.00 and offered me $150.00 for it. Even though the coin is badly worn, the weight indicated that it was the variety without arrows and ray's. He also said that the coin was evenly worn and not altered to deceive.
Okay, so it's not enough to retire on, but it was fun to discover a variety that I didn't know I had.
Thats what I love about this hobby.

 

[Jeffro]

Very cool! Glad I was dead wrong... it just looked a little suspicious to me, lol!

 

[Klaatu]

I still think it looks doctored. I see the remnants of numerous rays on the reverse (especially around the eagle's tail feathers) and the area to the right of the date is very suspicious as this is where an arrow would have been.

As is I think it is a $5 coin. I would have sold it for $150 when I had a willing buyer.

 

[ZumbroKid]

Bk, even though i'm your friend, i believe i also see traces of rays near one of the eagles claws. I can make out three of them in the exact location of the sample one posted.

 

[Klaatu]

Welcome back, Free. I thought you were gone from here from a while.

 

[bk]

Guy's,
Thank you for your comments!
Jeffro, I don't think you are dead wrong. I too am still a little suspicious of the coin even though 2 out of 4 dealers said it was genuine. Yeah, I probably should have sold it when I had the chance, but I'm not in this for the money. Free,you know this. Otherwise I would have sold my Henderson dog tax tag.
I like to collect type coins, so when I get an unusual variety I tend to get a little excited.
I appreciate all of your input. That it why I like this forum.
I, myself would probably not pay $150.00 for this coin. I would try to find a better one, and pay a little more.
I'll just keep looking.