1884
Gold $1 NGC PF66 UCAM Click on Coin Image to
enlarge
1884
Gold $1 NGC PF66 UCAM - $18,500.00
Presenting
an absolutely GORGEOUS 1884 Gold $1 NGC PF66 UCAM. Yours
for only $18,500.00. Please contact me by email
or telephone to reserve this great coin.
This beautiful
proof gold dollar specimen has Amazingly deep watery
fields, only 3 coins in all grades of ultra cameo at
NGC, this one is the finest!
This 1884 Ultra Cameo,
Superb Gem proof gold dollar is the finest known at
both NGC and PCGS. The coin has amazingly deep, watery
fields with frosted devices floating on mirrored surfaces.
As expected for a proof coin in this condition, the
strike is razor sharp and bold with every detail standing
out in full relief. The hairlines are minimal and invisible
to the unaided eye. It is a wonderful piece, one of
the finest.
James B. Longacre designed
the Indian Princess gold dollar. It consisted of a truncated
portrait of Liberty facing left wearing a stylized headdress
inscribed LIBERTY. She is surrounded by the words UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA. The reverse shows an open, elaborate
wreath of corn, cotton, maple, and tobacco with the
numeral 1 in the top center. Below it is DOLLAR followed
by the date.
The present coin is
a Type 3 gold dollar. The first type was a Liberty Head
similar to Longacre’s double eagle design. It
was minted from 1849 to 1854. In 1854, Longacre introduced
the Indian Princess motif, the Type 2 gold dollar. However,
these pieces did not strike up well because the obverse
portrait was in high relief and there wasn’t enough
of a metal flow to fill the dies on both sides. Longacre
had underestimated the power of the coining presses
in use at the time. This problem was much more evident
on the branch mint presses, which were much older than
those in use at Philadelphia. Since the proofs that
were made in Philadelphia did not show this weakness,
Longacre was unable to anticipate this situation. As
a result of the central weakness, the hair or the date
was blurry or illegible. Most coins wore down quickly
and were sent back to the mint to be recoined. The Type
2 coin was issued from 1854 to 1856.
In 1856 the Type 3 was coined in the
hopes that these striking problems could be alleviated
with a design change. The new coin retained the same
diameter, and the obverse relief was lowered. In addition,
the portrait was modified so the relief areas were
not opposite. The solution that Longacre chose was
to adapt the design of the three dollar gold piece.
The words of the legend were placed nearer the border.
The head was placed farther from the letters, and
the feathers’ shapes, sizes, and locations also
changed. The new design modifications were successful
and the coin remained in use until 1889.
Longacre was born in Pennsylvania
in 1794. When he finished his apprenticeship in Philadelphia
as a bookseller and a banknote engraver, he worked
on his own as an engraver of book illustrations and
bank notes. His works included one on the signers
of the Declaration of Independence and another on
stage personalities. In 1830, Longacre began a series
of biographies of famous men in the military and the
political arena. In 1834 the result of this series
became the National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished
Americans that was published in four volumes. Longacre
and those who worked with him became famous because
of this work. In 1844 Longacre came to work at the
Mint. He was opposed by Franklin Peale, the Chief
Coiner. Peale was probably responsible for some blundered
dies that Longacre was criticized for making. Peal
was involved in a private, illegal medal manufacturing
business using Mint facilities. He was concerned that
this new political appointee would interfere with
his business, and he resisted Longacre’s appointment
as Chief Engraver. Finally in 1854, Peale was fired
by President Franklin Pearce. Longacre flourished
in his position and was responsible for creating many
new designs including the Indian Head cent, the two-cent
piece, the Shield nickel, the Liberty Head gold dollar,
the Indian Princess gold dollar, the three-dollar
gold piece, and the Liberty Head double eagle.
Only 4 Ultra Cameo 1884
gold dollars have been certified by both grading services.
The population report shows NGC has certified 3 UCAM
with the present coin the only and finest known in UCAM66.
The PGCS specimen is a PRDC65, PCGS’s counterpart
of NGC’s UCAM designation. Here is a unique opportunity
to obtain the finest known 1884 Ultra Cameo proof gold
dollar.
