Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-08-31
Rarest of Our Gold Coins.
From the New York Sun.

rom the We" 1OIh ouIls
When 81, 165 was paid the other day for
a S gold piece of 1922 that coin took it's
place as the rarest of American coins.
cclipsing the 1904 dollar, which for many
years had tina distinction. The price sur
prised coin dealers and collectors, for 1t
exceeded by more $1,000 the greatest sum
previously paid for a specimen of this de-
nomination and year.
A curious phase Of the history of this
gold piece is that even those well Informed
about coins did not know of the rarity of
the 1922 half eagle until about twenty years
ago. il is a matter of record that the last
owner Of the coin bought il from a New
York dealer in old coins For S.. Yet at that
time only three specimens were known of.
No II knows why there are so few left,
for the mint records show that II, 1856 half
eagles were struck in 1922. One Of the two
other specimens is in the coin cabinet at
the Philadelphia mint, while the private
collection of Virgil NJ. BracG contains the
third.
The half eagle is the most popular coin
with the collectors of all the American
series Of gold coins, and & leads all the
rest in the number of varieties. Some go
varieties of this denomination have been
issued. OF other gold CONS there nave
been issued 1T varieties of the eagle, 1872
of the double eagle, seventy-nine of the
SOl0 QOlldTS, SlAty-HNG OF the quarter
eagles and forty-seven of the three dollar
piece.
h design of the rare 1922 s. gold piece
was not different from the other dates of
the period. The design on the diverse has
the mead Of Liberty, Of about the same
character as that used on all the silver
coins up to the time of the change of gen
cral design in 1896. A cap surmounts the
head, on the band of which is the word
Liberty" wh.,e around the border are
thirteen stars.
The first time this coin was offered at
public sale Sss in 1890, when the specimen
owned by H-tD O.. Parmelee Of Boston
brought $Sa
The half pfc is the oldest of the gold
coins, havinE first been issued in 1875, the
second year of operation OF the United
States mint. From that date It was issued
steadily until 1901, in which year none was
issued. Their coinage was resumed in 1907
and continued until 1916, during which year
and 1917 zone was struck. In 1918 their
coinage again began. and they have been
issued regularly ever since.
a great many varieties and dates OF the
half eagle are held In high esteem besides
the 1922 issue. There were two varieties
Of the 1875 half eagle. Recently these va
rieties in superb condition brought $160.
Three varieties were produced in the
year l'JI. Two Nar-etleS or tnlS date sod
not long ago for 1920, but they looked as
if they had come direct from the coinage
press. which counts for the very high
premium. Those in ordinary condition are
worth a great deal less.
In 1915 only 635 coins Of the s. value were
coined, and up TO the present time this
piece has been regarded a. the rarest of
the gold coins. The king Of Sweden, who
owns one of the worlds greatest CON coll
leCtions, made the record for this coin
some years ago when he paid 1900 for a
specimen TO complete his series of Ameri-
can issues. At a recent sale 81 go was paid
for a specimen of the same date, which
makes the 1894 dollar now rank third In
point Of rarity.
Only five of the 635 coins originally issued
are now known. The value Of his coin
also was not appreciated until recent
years, for it was not very long ago that a
good specimen could be bought for $50.
A remarkable coin in the s. series IS
that OF 1919. The mint records show that
81, 273 were struck, and yet a single one
brought $3.50. The scarcity OF this coin
presents another problem hard to solve.
The 1921 half eagle has brought $500.
which IS still another source of wonder
ment. for 36.64l We're issued. Another
rarity is that of 1926, which brought slo0,
1s,G69 were coined originally.
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