The Early Quarter Dollars of the United States

No. 3

Obverse: Same as [Browning] 2.

Reverse: Ends of scroll: left under space between E and D; right under foot of A near right end. On scroll: I under space between A and T; S under S at left. Large 5 in value, 25 C.

Dies perfect. A scarce variety.
Close date.
Low 25, far from C; large 5.

Browning-3; Clapp-2; Duphorne-50; Breen-3910; Haseltine-3.

Rarity-4, low.

Die States: I. Perfect. Date shows both 4 and 3 within and to right of 5. (Evidently this was its original condition, but on the common B-2s traces of 4 were obscured; when the obverse was repolished to make B-3, enough excess detail was removed so that traces of 4 and 3 both show. This was first recognized in Merkin 11/65:285.)
II. Faint crack, second through fifth stars.
III. Tiny rim break above seventh star.
IV. Very small rim breaks above fourth and fifth stars.
V. Heavy crack, rim between UN through bases of NITE and upright of D to rim. Very rare.
VI. Huge "cud" rim break destroying NITE. Extremely rare.

Proofs: One seen [by Breen] in State I many years ago.

First called "1825/24" in one of W. Elliot Woodward's sales in the 1880s. In WGC:88 this obverse, because of the different appearance of the 5, was claimed as a different die from B-2; and the variety has usually since then been catalogued as "1825/4."

The E counterstamp (as in B-2) occurs far more rarely on these, Ruby I:1151.

The L counterstamp is still rarer. Cf. "Durham," Neggen Estate:544. Uncirculated, State I.

Extremely rare in full Mint State, not rare in VF or EF. Alleged Uncirculateds include, among others, Col. Green, T. James Clarke, NN 47:1573 (Plate V); Boyd, WGC:88. Neil:896; J.H. South:469; Helwig;1998 (Bowers & Ruddy, 2/79).

The AU+ State V piece mentioned above late reappeared in Miles:897, Speir Estate sale:19, 1975 ANA:359, Brown Library:197.

The Browning plate coin came from U.S. Coin Co., 1913, as "Uncirculated," at $6 to Browning.

See comment on B-2 about E or L counterstamps, but fewer of either occur on B-3's.
Numerical Condition Census (RWM, Sr,): 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60.

No quarter dollars were made in 1826.