Mystery, Gold, and Auctions…
It’s been said that “mystery is a resource, like gold, and its preservation is a fine thing.”
Sometimes at Pot of Gold Auctions, mystery, gold and preservation intertwine…as was the case recently with an 1834 $2.50 Classic Quarter Eagle No MOTTO Gold piece.
- 1834 $2.50 GOLD Classic, ANACS VF 30, Lot #369, July 15, 2014
Initially, this coin was received from one of our consignor’s in raw form; herein lays the “mystery”. The coin was not as brilliant and did not share the luster of similar gold coins, the fields were weak, grainy and dimpled, the reeded edge and rim appeared “off”; however the weight was correct at 4.18 grams and the diameter was exact at 17.50 millimeters and it was 180 years old! Questions began to arise… What was this coin’s history? Where had this nearly two century year old coin spent a good portion of its existence? And the flip side…Was it possible that this piece could be a “cast reproduction”, ie., a fake with no mysterious history at all? Read on…