RARE BORDERLINE GEM 1911-D QUARTER EAGLE

The 1911-D is the key issue in the popular, completable Indian Head quarter eagle series and this makes it one of the most famous 20th century US gold coins. It is scarce in properly graded MS64 and rare in MS65.

This borderline Gem example show exceptional rich natural yellow-gold color over choice, frosty surfaces. There are a few small ticks in the obverse fields which keep this from grading a full MS65 but it is decidedly finer than many non-CAC MS65′s I have seen graded by both services. The strike is very sharp with the mintmark very clear to the naked eye and the wire rim on the obverse clearly visible.

The last PCGS/CAC MS64+ 1911-D quarter eagle to sell at auction brought $25,850 as Heritage 10/15: 98808 but a similarly graded example realized $30,550 earlier in 2015 in Heritage’s April, 2015 auction.

If available, a PCGS/CAC MS65 would cost close to double the price of this nice MS64+ and I doubt whether most collectors could tell much difference between the two coins.

CAC has approved 73 in MS64 with nine higher.