Lot Number 89
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1823 - O.113 R.6+ PCGS VF 25
Ex Don Parsley. It has been 15 years since I handled an example of this noted rarity. In July 2008 Charlton Meyer’s PCGS XF 40 appeared in my sale of 44 Selected Rarities from his (complete) collection of Capped Bust half-dollars. It brought $31,655. Olin “Ole” Carter discovered the variety in February 1978. Steve Herrman has since traced only 14 examples of the O.113 die pair. My best recollection is that this coin popped up at a Long Beach show circa 2004. A large cent collector happened upon it and consigned it to a specialist in that arena. When it was offered to me I spoke with Don Parsley. He was interested at the mid-4 figure asking price and the sale was consummated. PCGS graded, attributed and encapsulated the coin this past February. The light grey centers are flanked by darker toning through the stars and legend. Stray hairlines in the fields suggest the coin was lightly wiped. The blunt obverse strike is typical of the variety. The obverse die was pulled from the shelf in early 1824 and paired with a reverse die that first appeared on the 1824/1 O.102. Yes, the 1823 O.113 was struck in 1824. There were, in fact, four die pairs dated 1824 that were struck before the laggard 1823-113.
Not since 2014 has a straight-graded 1823 O.113 come to auction. Heritage sold a PCGS Gd. 6 that year in its January FUN Show auction. It brought $19,975. Herrman lists a November 2020 private treaty sale of a PCGS XF 40 at $37,500. The Parsley coin makes its auction debut here. Don your bidding boots!
Estimate: $20,000 to $30,000
