1835 25C MS(PCGS#5354)

February 2026 Showcase Auction - The James A. Stack, Sr. Collection Part II

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

25060

Grade

MS65+

Price

36,000

Lot Description

Tompkins Die Stage 4/2, Rea et al. Die State a. An extraordinary premium Gem Uncirculated coin, far and away the finest 1835 quarter from the Browning-3 dies that we have offered in recent memory. Originality is undeniable for surfaces that are richly toned in mottled steel-blue and golden-russet patina. These bolder colors are supported by a base of antique silver that shines forth nicely in several areas, most notably at left obverse. Softly frosted luster is also readily evident as the coin rotates under a light. Strike detail is impressively sharp overall, and the surfaces are as smooth and well preserved as one would expect for the assigned grade.<p>Although more plentiful than its Large Diameter predecessor of 1815 to 1828, the Reduced Diameter Capped Bust quarter of 1831 to 1838 is still a challenging and underrated design type in the finest Mint State grades The 1835 B-3 die pairing is especially difficult to locate in Uncirculated condition, the 2010 Rea et al. census reporting only two examples at this level graded 60+ and 60 therein. The offered coin from the Dean Oakes Family Collection is a newcomer to the census, and while it may have a rival in the Davis-Graves - Winter coin listed as CC#2 in the Rea et al. census, we believe that it is the finest known example from these dies. It also appears to be the only Mint State 1835 B-3 offered at auction since the aforementioned CC#2 coin sold in our (Stack's) January-February 1974 sale of the Winter Collection; in recent years the best we have handled for this variety is an EF-45. Whether one is a high grade type collector or advanced early quarter variety enthusiast, the significance of this offering can hardly be overstated.