1834 $5 Capped Bust, Plain 4 MS64 Certification #-15204, PCGS #8160

CoinFacts Details

Owner's Comments

PCGS graded. Purchased by Harry Bass from the Greenwald collection auction conducted by Bowers and Merena, lot 1400. Greenwald of Dallas purchased it privately from Bowers and Ruddy in the late 1970s.

Expert Comments

David Akers (1975/88)

This is the final year of this very rare type. As a date, i.e. with both varieties lumped together, the 1834 is possibly the most common date of the type, despite the fact that the mintage is at most 40% of the mintages for 1830-1833. This merely goes to show that mintages, particularly of early U.S. gold coins which experienced wide scale melting in 1834-1836, can be unreliable in determining rarity. The Plain 4 variety of the 1834 Motto is more often available than the Crosslet 4 variety. Gem quality coins are almost unobtainable and even AU or average uncirculated coins are not seen with any regularity.

PCGS #

8160

Designer

Robert Scot & John Reich

Edge

Reeded

Diameter

23.80 millimeters

Weight

8.75 grams

Mintage

50141

Metal

91.7% Gold, 8.3% Copper

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Region

The United States of America

Price Guide

PCGS Population

Auctions - PCGS Graded

Auctions - NGC Graded

Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More

Grades	Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.	Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.	Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.	Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	37	R-8.7	6 / 9 TIE	23 / 42 TIE
All Grades	17	R-9.2	8 / 9 TIE	24 / 42 TIE
60 or Better	2	R-9.9	1 / 9 TIE	3 / 42 TIE

Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.
65 or Better	37
All Grades	17
60 or Better	2

Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.
65 or Better	R-8.7
All Grades	R-9.2
60 or Better	R-9.9

Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	6 / 9 TIE
All Grades	8 / 9 TIE
60 or Better	1 / 9 TIE

Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	23 / 42 TIE
All Grades	24 / 42 TIE
60 or Better	3 / 42 TIE

Condition Census Learn More

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	MS64 PCGS grade	Clarke E. Gilhousen Collection - Superior 2/1973:360 - Paramount’s Rare Coin List #4, Spring 1973 - Goliad Corporation (Mike Brownlee), sold privately in 10/1984 - D. Brent Pogue Collection - Stack's/Bowers & Sotheby's 5/2016:4047, $152,750
1	MS64 PCGS grade	Superior 9/2005:1835, $115,000
1	MS64 PCGS grade
1	MS64 estimated grade	Superior 10/1990:2097, $24,200 - Guardian Collection - Superior 11/2006:198, $161,000 - Goldbergs 9/2010:2852, $132,250 - Heritage 8/2011:7544, $143,750
5	MS63 PCGS grade

#1 MS64 PCGS grade

Clarke E. Gilhousen Collection - Superior 2/1973:360 - Paramount’s Rare Coin List #4, Spring 1973 - Goliad Corporation (Mike Brownlee), sold privately in 10/1984 - D. Brent Pogue Collection - Stack's/Bowers & Sotheby's 5/2016:4047, $152,750

#1 MS64 PCGS grade

Superior 9/2005:1835, $115,000

#1 MS64 PCGS grade

#1 MS64 estimated grade

Superior 10/1990:2097, $24,200 - Guardian Collection - Superior 11/2006:198, $161,000 - Goldbergs 9/2010:2852, $132,250 - Heritage 8/2011:7544, $143,750

#5 MS63 PCGS grade