1852-O 25C AU55 Certification #09658951, PCGS #5420

CoinFacts Details

Owner's Comments

Briggs 1B. The production of 96,000 is only one of several factors that ensure this issue's rarity. The California gold rush altered the gold-silver ratio allowing speculators to melt silver coins for a slim profit over face value. In addition to poor strikes, 52-o quarters were struck with a collar resulting in flatter rims and faster wear. The majority of survivors are impaired or heavily worn. Only a couple of uncs are known, an MS62 and an MS63. This coin is probably a bit net graded. I suspect it was stored for years in a cabinet face up as the reverse is a pristine, bright MS63-64 with full satiny luster and a nice strike. However, the obverse is dull and has some minor pitting. In addition the obverse strike is flat. I can find no wear on either side of this coin with a loope.

Expert Comments

Ron Guth

The 1852-O Quarter Dollar is a tough date that is incredibly rare in Mint State. In fact, the majority of certified examples grade either XF40 or less. PCGS has certified two Mint State examples, the finest of which is a single PCGS MS63. This date shows the typical strike weakness of a New Orlean product, but some examples are weak at the top of the obverse and the bottom of the reverse, indicating that the dies may have been out of parallel when some coins were struck. This anomaly can be seen on the finest example (illustrated above).

The record price for this date at auction is $126,500, realized in 2007 in a Heritage auction by a PCGS MS63.

PCGS #

5420

Designer

Robert Ball Hughes/Christian Gobrecht

Edge

Reeded

Diameter

24.30 millimeters

Weight

6.74 grams

Mintage

96000

Metal

90% Silver, 10% Copper

Pop Higher

Pop Lower

101

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	400	R-6.2	17 / 49 TIE	34 / 114 TIE
All Grades	4	R-9.8	2 / 49 TIE	4 / 114 TIE
60 or Better	0	R-10.1	1 / 49	1 / 114

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	400
All Grades	4
60 or Better	0

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-6.2
All Grades	R-9.8
60 or Better	R-10.1

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	17 / 49 TIE
All Grades	2 / 49 TIE
60 or Better	1 / 49

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	34 / 114 TIE
All Grades	4 / 114 TIE
60 or Better	1 / 114

Condition Census Learn More

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	MS63 PCGS grade	Frog Run Farm Collection, Part II - American Numismatic Rarities 1/2006:346, $21,850 - Heritage 11/2007:540, $126,500 - Stack's 7/2009:472, $32,000
2	MS62 PCGS grade	Superior “Auction '88” 7/1988:119 - Heritage 9/2008:1519 - Heritage 4/2010:2082 - Eugene H. Gardner Collection - Heritage 5/2015:98341, $21,150
2	MS62 estimated grade	Heritage 11/2016:5226, $17,625
4	AU58 estimated grade
4	AU58 estimated grade

#1 MS63 PCGS grade

Frog Run Farm Collection, Part II - American Numismatic Rarities 1/2006:346, $21,850 - Heritage 11/2007:540, $126,500 - Stack's 7/2009:472, $32,000

#2 MS62 PCGS grade

Superior “Auction '88” 7/1988:119 - Heritage 9/2008:1519 - Heritage 4/2010:2082 - Eugene H. Gardner Collection - Heritage 5/2015:98341, $21,150

#2 MS62 estimated grade

Heritage 11/2016:5226, $17,625

#4 AU58 estimated grade