Our November 2019 Baltimore Auction offers a parade of rare die varieties across nearly every series of United States coinage. Among the most remarkable is an 1806 Browning-8 quarter featured in lot 13319 that carries a Rarity-6 rating.
Far and away the rarest of the 10 known die marriages of the 1806 Draped Bust quarter, Browning-8 is most readily identifiable by a misplaced punch at the lower left corner of the letter C in the denomination. Other significant diagnostics are a die crack and die damage at the word OF in the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The 2010 reference Early Quarter Dollars of the United States Mint: 1796-1838 by Rory R. Rea, Dr. Glenn Peterson, Bradley S. Karoleff and John J. Kovach, Jr. lists 11 distinct examples in numismatic hands, grades ranging from AU-50 to VG-10. The present example is just shy of that census listing, but it is still significant for early quarter variety specialists.
This important rarity displays pale dove-gray at the centers with deeper slate and steel blue near the borders. Warmer golden brown patina accents the rim in places. The obverse is evenly worn but Liberty remains bold. Exceptional definition is showcased on the reverse, with sharp dentils marking the circumference in most areas. A few old scratches show under magnification but these are well worn into the patina and fail to draw the naked eye.
This coin marks just the fourth example from these dies that we have offered over the past 11 years. The earliest was a scratched Good-6 coin offered in our February 2008 sale of the Rich Uhrich Collection. Our August 2010 sale of the Johnson-Blue Collection included an incredibly sharp Fine-15 (PCGS) example that earned $20,700 in lot 452. Most recently, we offered a VG Details-Bent (PCGS) example in our October 2018 sale of the Cohasco Collection. The present example is appealing and problem free, suitable for an advanced collection of early quarters.
This 1806 B-6 example is featured in lot 11319 of Session 14 in our November Baltimore Auction. The entire auction is available for viewing and bidding on our website, www.StacksBowers.com. To feature your collection in one of our auctions, speak with a numismatic representative today at 800-566-2580 or email [email protected]. Also, download our mobile app to view and participate in our auctions via your Android or Apple device.
