BG- 501, 1853/54 California Gold Rush Circulating Fractional Gold $1, Liberty Head Eagle Reverse PCGS MS63 R5

R5-. (No date c.1853-54) Liberty Head Humbert eagle rev! Unique ONE.DOL design. No date appears on the coin, but struck circa 1853-1854, based upon comparisons made with other similarly-dated circulating California Fractional gold coins. Created by Frontier & Deviercy. The BG-501 to 504 issues show a majestic eagle reminiscent of the device used for the Humbert slugs on the reverse. This no doubt aided in the issue's acceptance in commerce, as most of the known survivors are circulated. One of the earliest recorded auction sales of this issue was in lot 1694 of Woodward's November 1862 sale of the Finotti Collection. The coin was described as "a very rare type," and realized $1.50. In 2006 the issue crossed the four-figure mark as a very eye-appealing PCGS MS63 brought $13,225 at public auction. Since then, it's common to figure the issue in MS63 or better in the five-figures.