A sleeper for most of its career, the `29-118 has awakened. Another PCGS XF 45 with CAC sticker appeared in MB 47, August 2018. The following is a portion of the description I offered for lot 95, consigned by Dr. Tom Sears and formerly owned by John Tidwell and Dr. Glenn Peterson:
The PCGS label notes the Peterson-Tidwell provenance. Therein lies a story. In their day John and Sophia Tidwell had the No.1 die variety set of Capped Bust Half-Dollars. It included the Elton Dosier 1817/4 and all three crushed lettered edge proofs. At John’s retirement and with his eyesight failing the Tidwells allowed me to sell their set during the 2004 ANA Convention in Pittsburgh. This coin, then encapsulated by ANACS and graded AU 50, was in my bourse case, priced generically. Dr. Peterson snapped it up. It was sometime later that I learned how difficult it was to find this die pair in high grade. An XF is certainly R.5; in AU and UNC, try R.7! Proof of the pudding came at the 2016 Anaheim ANA. Chuck Link consigned a PCGS MS 62, the 2nd finest known. When the smoke cleared Dr. Peterson prevailed at $7,385 (MB 43, lot 66). As I said, the O.118 is tough to find in high grade!
The Tidwell-Peterson-Sears coin brought $1,650 five years ago. The current offering is an altogether wholesome XF with natural grey toning, some luster and pleasing surfaces. From the Kings Park Collection. Estimate: $1,450 to $1,900
