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Auction: 22888 - The John Robert Fletcher 1888 Full US Proof Set Auction
Lot: 1888

(g) NGC PF64-PF66 CAC | United States of America, An Original "Full Proof Set" of 1888 (13), Twenty-Dollars to Gold Dollar (6), Morgan Dollar to Dime (4), Nickel, Three Cent Nickel and Cent, Philadelphia Mint [13], of the highest rarity as a complete original set, the last known intact set in private hands and matched only by the 'mint fresh' sets held by the American Numismatic Society and Smithsonian Museum, our set unconserved and in beautifully honest original state, further accompanied by contemporary custom fitted case (as at time of issue) embossed in gold Gothic script "John Robert Fletcher", latterly incorporated in a Spink and Son custom case to house the soon-to-be-legendary NGC 'Fletcher' holders.

*****AN UNPRECEDENTED OFFERING OF THE GREATEST NUMISMATIC SIGNIFICANCE*****



Gold:

i.) NGC PF64+ CAMEO CAC | 'Liberty Head', Double-Eagle, Proof $20, 1888, by James Barton-Longacre, Philadelphia, Type 3 ~ With Motto, Liberty wearing coronet left, J.B.L incuse on truncation, thirteen stars surround in halo, rev. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, rays and thirteen stars surrounding IN GOD WE TRUST above heraldic spread-winged eagle clutching arrows and branch in talons, a shield over chest and flanked by scroll inscribed E PLURIBUS UNUM, straight reeded edge, 33.42g, 7h (ANS 1908.93.399; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1020; NGC ID# 26E9; PCGS# 9104/89104/99104; Breen 7299; JD-1 [R6]; Fb-177), an outstanding Proof with excellent contrasts between rich cameo portrait definition and glass-like fields, with additional 'halo-frosting' around the stars and date indicative of early die preparation, as struck and unquestionably amongst the finest known, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, strictly graded PF64+ CAMEO *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-001)

ii.) NGC PF64+ CAMEO CAC | 'Liberty Head', Eagle, Proof $10, 1888, by Christian Gobrecht, Philadelphia, Type 3 ~ With Motto, Liberty wearing coronet left, plain on truncation, thirteen stars surround in halo, rev. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds, IN GOD WE TRUST in scroll above heraldic spread-winged eagle clutching arrows and branch in talons, a shield over chest, straight reeded edge, 16.74g, 6h (ANS 1908.93.355; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1021; NGC ID# 28FT; PCGS# 8828/88828/98828; Breen 7026; JD-1 [R6]; Fb-158), a tiny contact mark behind neck, and a small circular imperfection below arrow caused by striking through a piece of errant coil, otherwise a wondrous cameo gem with 'halo-frosting' around the stars and date indicative of the original die preparation, as struck and unquestionably amongst the finest known, a key rarity within the set, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, strictly graded PF64+ CAMEO *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-002)

iii.) NGC PF64 CAMEO CAC | 'Liberty Head', Half-Eagle, Proof $5, 1888, by Christian Gobrecht, Philadelphia, Type 3 ~ With Motto, Liberty wearing coronet left, plain on truncation, thirteen stars surround in halo, rev. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds, IN GOD WE TRUST in scroll above heraldic spread-winged eagle clutching arrows and branch in talons, a shield over chest, straight reeded edge, 8.36g, 6h (ANS 1908.93.310; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1022; NGC ID# 28CS; PCGS# 8483/88483/98483; Breen 6739; JD-1 [High R5]; Fb-143), a small spot of tone in O of OF and subtlest traces of friction aft and stern of neck line, otherwise a sumptuous proof with additional 'halo-frosting' around the stars and date indicative of the original die preparation, as struck and unquestionably amongst the finest known, a key rarity within the set, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, strictly graded PF64 CAMEO *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-003)

iv.) NGC PF65 CAMEO CAC | 'Indian Princess Head', Three-Dollar Piece, Proof $3, 1888, by James Barton-Longacre, Philadelphia, UNITED not doubled, Low A and S in STATES, Native American 'Princess' head left, rev. 3 | DOLLARS | 1888 in three lines inside wreath, straight reeded edge, 5.00g, 6h (ANS 1908.93.278; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1023; NGC ID# 28AX; PCGS# 8052/88052/98052; Breen 6405 (dies B-1); JD-1 [Low R4]; Fb-124), the usual frosted die cud on neck and flawing by N of UNITED, and M and C of AMERICA, and a small rim planchet flaw at 6 o'clock, otherwise a delightful cameo gem with 'halo-frosting' around the stars and date indicative of the original die preparation, as struck and amongst the finest known, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, strictly graded PF65 CAMEO *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-004)

v.) NGC PF65 CAMEO CAC | 'Liberty Head', Quarter-Eagle, Proof $2.50, 1888, by Christian Gobrecht, Philadelphia, Type 3 ~ With Motto, Liberty wearing coronet left, plain on truncation, thirteen stars surround in halo, rev. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds, IN GOD WE TRUST in scroll above heraldic spread-winged eagle clutching arrows and branch in talons, a shield over chest, straight reeded edge, 4.17g, 6h (ANS 1908.93.460; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1024; NGC ID# 288B; PCGS# 7914/87914/97914; Breen 6307 (dies B-1); JD-1 [R5]; Fb-114), a hint of cabinet friction, otherwise a strikingly brilliant cameo gem exhibiting the usual spots of die cud frosting before and behind trail of hair on neck, as struck and unquestionably amongst the finest known, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, graded PF65 CAMEO *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-005)

vi.) NGC PF64 CAMEO CAC | 'Indian Princess Head', Gold Dollar, Proof G$1, 1888, by James Barton-Longacre, Philadelphia, ERT in LIBERTY 'weak’, Native American 'Princess' head left, rev. 1 | DOLLAR | 1888 in three lines inside wreath, straight reeded edge, edge milled, 1.67g, 6h (ANS 1908.93.40; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1025; NGC ID# 25EY; PCGS# 7638/87638/97638; Breen 6111 (dies 2 [B-3]); JD-1 [R5]; Fb-94), a highly superficial scuff before head in otherwise brilliant fields, a gorgeous proof with subtle cameo portrait definition, practically as struck, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, graded PF64 CAMEO *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-006)



Silver:

vii.) NGC PF65 CAC | 'Morgan' Dollar, Proof $1, 1888, by Charles E. Barber after George Morgan, Philadelphia, E PLURIBUS UNUM and thirteen stars in halo around Liberty Head reputedly modelled after Anna W. Williams left, rev. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ~ ONE DOLLAR, In God We Trust in lombardic script above spread-winged eagle clutching arrows and branch in talons, wreath below, straight reeded edge, 26.73g, 6h (ANS 1908.93.78; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1026; NGC ID# 27ZH; PCGS# 7323/87323/97323; Breen 5599; VAM 25), speckled tone in otherwise brilliant fields attractively framed by peripheral light colourful iridescence, struck through a small piece of errant coil by IC of AMERICA, otherwise a handsome gem proof, much as struck, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, strictly graded PF65 *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-007)

viii.) NGC PF65 CAC | 'Seated' Half-Dollar, Proof 50C, 1888, by Thomas Sully and Christian Gobrecht, Philadelphia, thirteen stars in halo surround Lady Liberty seated right holding Liberty-capped staff and shield, head turned back to left, rev. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ~ HALF DOL., IN GOD WE TRUST in scroll above eagle clutching arrows and branch in talons, straight reeded edge, 12.56g, 6h (ANS 0000.999.6370; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1027; NGC ID# 27UP; PCGS# 6449/86449/96449; Breen 5038), struck with softer dies, nevertheless a wondrous specimen with brilliance muted only by an errant fingermark, otherwise a choice gem proof flared by a frame of iridescent blue-red haloing, as struck, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, strictly graded PF65 *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-008)

ix.) NGC PF66 CAC | 'Seated' Quarter-Dollar, Proof 25C, 1888, by Thomas Sully and Christian Gobrecht, Philadelphia, thirteen stars in halo surround Lady Liberty seated right holding Liberty-capped staff and shield, head turned back to left, rev. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ~ QUAR. DOL., IN GOD WE TRUST in scroll above eagle clutching arrows and branch in talons, straight reeded edge, 6.24g, 6h (ANS 0000.999.6289; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1028; NGC ID# 23XL; PCGS# 5589/85589/95589), a joyous proof with light purple-blue toning, occasionally dappled but undoubtedly accentuating the frosted device definition, as struck, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, graded PF66 *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-009)

x.) NGC PF65 CAC | 'Seated' Dime, Proof 10C, 1888, by Thomas Sully and Christian Gobrecht, thirteen stars in halo surround Lady Liberty seated right holding Liberty-capped staff and shield, head turned back to left, rev. ONE DIME in two lines, in wreath, straight reeded edge, 2.51g, 6h (ANS 0000.999.6289; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1029; NGC ID# 23DD; PCGS# 4785/84785/94785), dappled toning in otherwise brilliant fields, softly struck on high points but much as struck, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, strictly graded PF65 *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-010)



Base Metal:

xi.) NGC PF64 CAC | V-Nickel, Proof 5C, 1888, by Charles E. Barber, Philadelphia, Liberty head left, surrounded by thirteen stars, rev. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds, E PLURIBUS UNUM above wreath containing V, CENTS below, edge plain, 4.89g, 7h (ANS 1908.93.212; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1030; NGC ID# 277W; PCGS# 3886/83886), flashy lustrous fields with light speckling, otherwise much as issued, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, strictly graded PF65 *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-011)

xii.) NGC PF64 CAC | Three Cent Nickel, Proof 3CN, 1888, by James Barton-Longacre, Philadelphia, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Liberty head left, rev. III in wreath, edge plain, 1.91g, 6h (ANS 1908.93.173; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1031; NGC ID# 276B; PCGS# 3785/83785/93785; Breen 2454), heavier speckling otherwise brilliant, much as struck, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, graded PF64 *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-012)

xiii.) NGC PF65 RB CAC | Indian Head Cent, Proof 1C, 1888, by James Barton-Longacre, Indian Head left, rev. ONE CENT and shield in wreath, edge plain, 3.04g, 6h (ANS 1908.93.130; Smithsonian ID: 1985.0441.1032; NGC ID# 22AA; PCGS# 2351/2352/2353/82353; Breen 2011), handsomely brilliant with a hint of speckling by date, otherwise flares of reddish brown, much as struck, in NGC 'Fletcher' custom holder, strictly graded PF65 RB *CAC* (Cert. #6295588-013)

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Sold for
$560,000

Starting price
$200000