- PCGS #:
- 60734
- Designer:
- Robert Ball Hughes/Christian Gobrecht
- Edge:
- Reeded
- Diameter:
- 24.30 millimeters
- Weight:
- 6.20 grams
- Mintage:
- N/A
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- 90% Silver, 10% Copper
- Auction Record:
- N/A
Major Varieties
- 1866 25C J-536
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For Sale Now at Collectors Corner - PCGS Graded
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Condition Census What Is This?
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#1 PR63 Estimated grade
R. Coulton Davis Collection - New York Coin & Stamp Co. 1/1890:??? - U.S. Coin Company 5/1915:??? - King Farouk (The Palace Collections of Egypt) - Sotheby's (sold as part of a two-piece lot with the unique 1866 50C No Motto) 1/1954:??? - Edwin M. Hydeman Collection - Abe Kosoff (sold as part of a two-piece lot with the unique 1866 50C No Motto) 3/1961:??? - Willis H. duPont Collection (stolen October 1967, subsequently recovered) - American Numismatic Association, on loan from the Dupont family until 11/2014) - National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution |
P. Scott Rubin:
The 1866 No Motto Quarter (Judd-536) is a pattern that is listed in A Guide Book of United States Coins, better known as the Red Book, as a regular issue. Only one specimen of this issue is believed to have been struck making this coin as rare as you can get. When this coin first appeared in the numismatic market in the January, 1890 New York Coin Company Sale of the R. Coulton Davis collection it was accompanied by a likewise unique Half Dollar of the same design which has a Judd designation of 538. They were both plated in the catalogue and were among the highlights of this important collection.
It is thought that the 1866 No Motto Quarter was made as part of one set of three coins, the Dollar, Half Dollar and Silver Dollar all of the same No Motto design. That this set has been kept together from the 1890’s to the present time the history of this coin disproves that belief. There are four auction records of the 1866 No Motto Quarter, in only one of these four occasions were the three coins presented in the same auction.
Beside the 1890 auction already mentioned where the Quarter was auctioned with the Half Dollar. There is a record of the Quarter being offered In the U.S. Coin Company auction of May 19th, 1915 this sale did not contain either the Half Dollar or the Silver Dollar. The next time the Quarter was offered it was included with the Half Dollar in one lot and the Silver Dollar in an adjoining lot. This was Sotheby’s 1954 Egypt Palace Sale which took place in Egypt and was from the collection put together by King Farouk. This represented not only the first time that the three coins were offered at public auction together, but the first time the Silver Dollar appears at auction.
The final sale of the 1866 No Motto Quarter was in the March, 1961 Abe Kosoff sale of the Hydeman Collection where the Quarter again shared a single lot with the 1866 No Motto Half Dollar. No Silver Dollar of this variety was in the sale. One of the two known 1866 No Motto Silver Dollars had already been sold by Abe Kosoff to the du Pont Collection and after the 1961 auction the Quarter and Half Dollar joined it. In 1967 a robbery occurred at the du Pont home and all three 1866 No Motto coins mentioned were stolen with many other important rarities. These coins have been recovered and the du Pont’s currently have loaned the 1866 No Motto Quarter and the two other coins in this unique set to the American Numismatic Association. So this Quarter is currently off the market, but given its rarity and publicity this coin would most likely sell for well over a million dollars today.
It is thought that the 1866 No Motto Quarter was made as part of one set of three coins, the Dollar, Half Dollar and Silver Dollar all of the same No Motto design. That this set has been kept together from the 1890’s to the present time the history of this coin disproves that belief. There are four auction records of the 1866 No Motto Quarter, in only one of these four occasions were the three coins presented in the same auction.
Beside the 1890 auction already mentioned where the Quarter was auctioned with the Half Dollar. There is a record of the Quarter being offered In the U.S. Coin Company auction of May 19th, 1915 this sale did not contain either the Half Dollar or the Silver Dollar. The next time the Quarter was offered it was included with the Half Dollar in one lot and the Silver Dollar in an adjoining lot. This was Sotheby’s 1954 Egypt Palace Sale which took place in Egypt and was from the collection put together by King Farouk. This represented not only the first time that the three coins were offered at public auction together, but the first time the Silver Dollar appears at auction.
The final sale of the 1866 No Motto Quarter was in the March, 1961 Abe Kosoff sale of the Hydeman Collection where the Quarter again shared a single lot with the 1866 No Motto Half Dollar. No Silver Dollar of this variety was in the sale. One of the two known 1866 No Motto Silver Dollars had already been sold by Abe Kosoff to the du Pont Collection and after the 1961 auction the Quarter and Half Dollar joined it. In 1967 a robbery occurred at the du Pont home and all three 1866 No Motto coins mentioned were stolen with many other important rarities. These coins have been recovered and the du Pont’s currently have loaned the 1866 No Motto Quarter and the two other coins in this unique set to the American Numismatic Association. So this Quarter is currently off the market, but given its rarity and publicity this coin would most likely sell for well over a million dollars today.