Near Perfect Multi-Colored Gem Proof
Osburn Cushing P1 (Dies P1-1866 PA) : Repunched 1, misplaced 18 on rim below date.
Purchased in the year of issue and held by one collector for over six decades, then stored until its sale in 2016, this Proof Seated Dollar exhibits the original multi-colored toning that we should expect for a coin that lay undisturbed for nearly 150 years. The colors are clear and vibrant, a progression of green, blue, violet and orange, with surfaces underneath which show very few faint post striking disturbances confined to the upper left obverse. The devices and other relief elements are notably frosted, in clear cameo contrast with the deeply mirrored fields. Overall, this is one of the more exceptional examples of the With Motto type in proof format.
PCGS #81934677
Provenance
Rev. Dr. James Gore King McClure, likely bought in the year of issue and held until his death in January 1932, then stored in a Chicago area bank vault until the consignment of the McClure collection to Heritage in 2016. Heritage Auctions, June 2016, lot 4657 at $22,325 as NGC/CAC PR66 #4250977-003.
Rev. Dr. McClure’s numismatic collecting seems to have begun sometime in the mid-1860’s and continued until 1930. Considering the period in which he was active, his collection is not notable for its rarities, many of which would have been available for prices that are considered trivial today. However, he did collect proof coinage as issued beginning about 1863, and these coins were stored in open trays until their sale in 2016. As a result, many of McClure’s silver proof coins, including this 1868 Dollar, acquired vibrant, multi-colored original toning which is highly prized today.
A gallery of more than 1600 coins and tokens from the Rev. Dr. McClure collection is presented by NGC.
