BG- 511, 1855/4 California Gold Rush Circulating Fractional Gold $1, Liberty Octagonal NGC MS65 R4+ - Sole Absolute Finest!

Here's a rare opportunity to purchase a 'Sole Absolute Finest' example of a California Fractional variety at a price that is not prohibitive.

NGC has graded 36 of this variety with only 1 in MS65, with none finer. PCGS has authenticated and encapsulated 81 pieces of the BG-511, none of which are graded higher than MS64.

Pierre Frontier and Eugene Deviercy were late arrivers in California, beginning production as late as mid-1853. They arrived together from France when they were in their 20s and opened a jewelry business at 437 Pine Street in San Francisco. The obverse of this octagonal piece features a left-facing Liberty head encircled by 10 stars. The reverse reads near the rim 'CALIFORNIA. ⋆ GOLD.' The FD mintmark is found at the bottom. Within a beaded circle is '1 DOLLAR 1855/4'. Honestly, the last digit of the date looks more like a blob.

San Francisco Harbor in 1851. Photo: Wikipedia.