Set Description
The size of the puzzle box storage-compartment limited the collection's goals to 14 NGC holdered coins.
The One Hundred Year, 1834 - 1933 US Gold Type Set was chosen, but it would not include type variances for any of the larger coins beyond gold dollars: 14 unique gold coins, each entirely different from one another.
Set Goals
At least one coin from each decade, each mint, each denomination, and each design.
Tried to target first and last year of issue within designs, tried to include coins from years (or mints) that have historical significance, and selected coins that were eye-appealingly beautiful, even if a lower grade had to be settled upon.
To access and open the puzzle box, the surrounding strongbox needs to be solved:
Solve, by trial and error, the Hoffman-Packard-Carter dial combination-lock, free the intertwined brass heart lock key from the HPC lock's shackle (to then turn the heart lock's key), open the heart lock to free the two "hangman's noose" cord ends from the heart lock's shackle, loosen the strongbox binding cord to "free" the cord-bound Peterson Locksmith Tools pouch, "pick" the Master locks, open the strongbox, solve the Stave jigsaw puzzle within, interpret its "Silhouettes" rebus, and apply that knowledge to open the puzzle box.
"My Competitive Sets" frontispiece photos, sorted using Points (high to low), depict the strongbox “solve.”
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View Coin
| 1830s & Philly |
United States
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$5 1834 CLASSIC SCRIPT 8 CROSSLET 4 HM-9
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NGC AU 58
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From a decade perspective, wanted to start the type set with a difficult coin, so chose the first year of issue for the Classic Heads, and knew the Crosslet 4 was the only way to go. Also, the type set would begin with Philadelphia… and end with Philadelphia.
This coin was a challenge for me. It was purchased a year after I had acquired my first rare gold coin, and it alone would amount to spending more than double the amount I had spent on all of the previous four coins I had collected, combined.
The darkened denticle at one o'clock, in the old NGC holder it was in, stood out very prominently, and was a visual turnoff for me. I searched elsewhere, looking for other examples of the coin that might be more to my liking. What I found was this was a very difficult coin to acquire… surprisingly so! The few examples I came across were not as clean, and were of lower grade. So, I found myself coming back to this coin — over and over, for over a whole year — trying to rationalize buying it, especially since it seemed so expensive to me. The dealer came down a little on price when I chatted him up on it, and I finally committed myself to buying it. It would anchor the collection.
Immediately noticed about this coin, when it was received, was its green-yellow gold. Compared to Carson City gold — reddish-copper, very much so — this Classic Head coin glowed with a metallic-yellow halo. Literally. Particularly attractive about it was its reverse side. Very clean. The shield — so uniform in its horizontal lines, and near equally-uniform in its vertical lines — always reminds me, even to this day, of how pleased I was with the reverse side of the coin when it first came in.
Newly reholdered in an NGC Scratch-Resistant EdgeView Holder, which features the four cushioning prongs, the darkened denticle is much less prominent and is a small reminder that some coins pick up certain "wear souvenirs" along their journey in life.
In addition to all of this, with this coin secured, suddenly I realized I was competing with the "big boys" of this "Hobby of Kings," and I was now resolute — steeled, really — on fulfilling the goals of my collection, high prices be damned!
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View Coin
| 1830s |
United States
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$2.5 1839 HM-1
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NGC MS 61
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Pairs well with its other 1830s decade companion, the $5 Crosslet 4 Classic Head. Together, these two coins accomplish a difficult feat: first and last year of issue. (they bound the entire six year span of time from which they were produced)
Furthermore, precedence for the overall type set collection was established:
For "like portrait" designs from the same mint, larger denomination coins are to predate smaller denomination coins.
Originally purchased in September 2014, in February 2023 its holder was "edge tapped" to display the coin the way it looked when first holdered, and new photos were taken (iPhone SE) to reflect the coin's new, proper orientation.
I got extremely lucky with the camera and my lighting technique.
By equally inclining the angle of both the camera and the holder to the light source I was able to bring out a semi-cameo appearance to the coin's obverse side, and NGC's security banner just happened to take on the popular color of the year — teal blue.
Beautiful, proof-like Registry appeal, coupled with Art Deco / Art Nouveau coloration.
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View Coin
| 1840s & Dahl |
United States
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G$1 1849 D
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NGC AU 58
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Acquired this coin in October 2014 from a private online seller, and there was no return allowed: riskiest coin I ever purchased.
This seller had all sorts of things for sale on Ebay, which seemed to give him a legitimate presence, and he alleviated my apprehensions by telling me that my credit card company would refund my payment if the whole thing went awry, because of their protection guarantee. The coin was discounted enough that I decided to take a chance… and I hoped for the best.
At the time, I was a novice to my collection objectives (at least one coin from each decade/each mint) and I had hamstrung available coin selection for the 1840 and 1850 decades by previously acquiring an 1862 Type 3 gold dollar — for the 1860s decade Civil War coin — and an 1857 S $2.5 Coronet Head — for the San Francisco Mint.
Suddenly, I realized that I had overlooked the 1840s decade, had overlooked the fact that Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans were still absent from the mints, and I was faced with needing two gold dollars — a Type 1 and a Type 2 — and a $3 Indian Princess Head. Extremely subtle logic constrained my efforts: each of these three coins had to have mint marks that were different from the other two. Charlotte never minted a $3 Indian Princess Head and if Dahlonega were chosen for it, a nice one would cost around $50K. Interpretation: New Orleans would have to be the $3 Indian Princess Head. This left Charlotte and Dahlonega for the two types of gold dollars.
I studied the Official Red Book and quickly realized that 1855 was the only year these two remaining mints produced Type 2 gold dollars, and an 1855 Dahlonega in any decent grade would cost a fortune. This forced my decision to acquire an 1849 D Type 1 gold dollar — from the "returns not accepted" risky private seller — because its affordability and availability made "collection sense." (As luck would have it, no two dates of these three coins would be identical, too… a miracle!)
The coin came in (whew!) but, although it was clean in that there were no undue scratches, nonetheless, it had a few issues. In its NGC holder on the obverse side, just left of Liberty's bust, was a fiber… and on the reverse side, grime was seen in the lettering of UNITED STATES and the interior of the D mintmark.
I sent it off to NCS for conservation, and it was then to continue on to NGC for Scratch-Resistant reholdering. When the coin came back to me, the fiber had been removed, but the grime still remained on the reverse side. I sent it back to NCS yet again. When it came back the second time it was gorgeous in the Scratch-Resistant new holder, and it had upgraded, slightly, from AU 58 to AU 58+.
It is the collection's only Dahlonega coin, it satisfies the 1840s decade, and it is a first year of issue Type 1 gold dollar!
A triple win for this very difficult coin... could not be more pleased!
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View Coin
| 1850s & New Orleans |
United States
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$3 1854 O
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NGC MS 61
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Collection's most valuable coin, and this $3 Indian Princess Head is an MS 61 stunner.
Helps with the custom requirement of at least one coin from each mint (New Orleans), at least one coin from each denomination ($3), and at least one coin from each design.
New Orleans only minted it for one year, 1854, thereby making it further praiseworthy… first and last year of issue.
The reverse of the coin exudes subtle tranquility: slightly green-yellow gold calming character when viewed in hand, with soft curvatures surrounding the date — the 3 above, the O mintmark below… beautiful balance and symmetry for this gentle coin.
And, of course, the obverse side, its lofty feathered-headdress and balled plume-peaks, it cannot help but capture the attention of anyone and everyone, who merely glimpse it for an instant. It is no wonder that engravers of the day considered the design as shorthand for “America."
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View Coin
| 1850s & Charlotte |
United States
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G$1 1855 C
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NGC AU 55
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Type Set's only Charlotte Mint coin, and this Charlotte first and last year of issue Type 2 gold dollar was certainly NOT a charlatan waiting for me, but rather, it was a blessing to be found, and to be within my financial reach.
This very coin was purchased in November 2014, one month after the 1849 Dahlonega Type 1 gold dollar was acquired, and one month before the 1854 New Orleans $3 Indian Princess Head was secured. So, these three coins — together — were a concerted, key effort… at locking in difficult mint marks.
What I like about this coin is that the date on the reverse side does not have a washed out 8, so typical of many 1855 C gold dollars. Also, its grade of AU 55 provides just enough detail for "viewing" as these Type 2 Charlotte gold dollars were poorly struck.
Four years later, it was resubmitted to NGC for Scratch-Resistant holdering, and since it was very clean in appearance from day one, it is now a standout in the collection. It is especially beautiful when viewed under bright lighting, through the Bausch & Lomb 10x Hastings Triplet loupe, which is stored in one of the puzzle box's lower, inner corners.
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View Coin
| 1850s & San Francisco |
United States
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$2.5 1857 S
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NGC AU 58
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The day before I ordered this San Francisco coin, I had ordered my final Carson City coin — an 1876-CC double eagle — and perhaps excited about what I had ordered, I went back online to the Florida dealer's website to view it again. It was during that viewing that I happened to spy this 1857-S quarter eagle, and so I called them back up and put in the order for it, too.
The date was October 2, 2014.
Between October 1, 2014 and December 12, 2014, the final nine coins of my 14 coin 1834 - 1933 US Gold Type Set collection were shipping to me and not one of them was ever returned. They were all "keepers.”
At the time of this coin’s acquisition, little did I know how much I would very, very, much, greatly appreciate it in later years.
For one, it was minted at the original San Francisco mint building and it is the 2nd year of collectable quarter eagles minted by San Francisco — this being the case since the 1854-S quarter eagle's first year of minting is beyond the reach of all but the extremely wealthy (only 246 were minted) and the 1855-S quarter eagle was never minted at all; reason being that there was an ongoing shortage of "parting acids” needed for gold purification, a direct result of the California Gold Rush.
Secondly, this coin pays homage to the SS Central America steamship (Ship of Gold) which struggled so desperately in a hurricane off the coast of North Carolina in September of 1857, finally sinking in the eye of the storm, Stars and Stripes flag flown upside-down to signal the steamer’s dire distress.
The gold that sank aboard the SS Central America that fateful day was minted in San Francisco. And since it was such a vast sum, bound for New York, its loss contributed to the Panic of 1857, and the following years of financial recession.
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View Coin
| 1860s |
United States
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G$1 1862
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NGC MS 64
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Fell in love with this lustrous Type 3 gold dollar the moment I received it. Knew right away it was a keeper.
This was the tenth gold coin that I ever acquired — or had even seen — and it was received back in July 2013. (seven of the ten coins were returned to their respective dealers during their inspection grace periods)
Satisfies the collection’s 1860s decade and is the collection’s only Civil War gold coin. Furthermore, it is fitting that it was minted at the Union's main mint in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and especially so since one year later the Battle of Gettysburg, also Pennsylvania, forever turned the war in the Union’s favor… to insure that this great nation would stand.
Overpaid for it, but it had a CAC sticker. Six years later it was submitted twice to NGC for Scratch-Resistant reholdering. (the first reholdering had holder mechanical errors)
I always look forward to this coin as I make my way through the left hand stack of seven coins in the puzzle box, to where it resides at the very bottom. Small, beautiful, and so significant… a true heirloom for future generations to admire.
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View Coin
| 1870s & Carson City |
United States
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$20 1876 CC
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NGC MS 60
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Satisfies the 1870s decade, the Carson City mint, and the $20 Coronet Head design.
Still slightly "underwater" on this coin (NGC Price Guide Value; August 2023), even though it was purchased nine years ago. I knew it would add unmatched coherence to the overall Type Set, so I paid up to ensure securing it.
This was the first double eagle gold coin that I had ever seen or held, and the grandeur and heft that it bestowed was really something for me to experience. The coin has an overall proof-like appearance to it, and I've always wondered if it might have graded MS61 had Liberty's hair been just slightly more stark in relief. The reverse side is virtually flawless, and the left curlycue by the eagle's beak has a barely visible, well-centered, copper spot within it, adding interest to the coin by discretely highlighting — punctuating, if you will — reddish-gold, so familiar to Carson City.
Finally, the date — 1876 — the first centennial of the signing of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, and with the coin portrayed here, its handsome date — the angularity and curvature of the four large numerals — well, everything comes together for this majestic, CC mintmark, USA gold coin.
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View Coin
| 1880s |
United States
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$10 1881 CC
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NGC AU 53
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This coin photographs beautifully.
It has everything to do with the wear of the coin and the remaining luster just forward of Liberty's eye — as though there is a vision of the future.
It is the first rare coin I ever purchased and I was drawn to the Carson City double CC mintmark. That, and the lore of Nevada prospecting.
When I got the coin — an Internet website purchase — and since it was the first rare gold coin I had ever seen, I was immediately struck by the dark-reddish-gold color it possessed. In hand, when I viewed those double eights, the coin took on a very deep, historically-rich, character. Add to it the overall symmetry of the "1881" date, and I realized how very special it was, and it explained why I couldn't get the coin dealer to budge an inch on price. (did get the dealer to throw in a free copy of the "Red Book")
And I thought all gold coins would look like this. (little did I know)
From my paperwork records, this coin was originally purchased as PCGS AU 53. It was sent to NCS for conservation to remove what looked like a small splinter on the reverse, and then go on to NGC for crossing-over and placement into a new Scratch-Resistant EdgeView Holder.
Now in an NGC white-bordering slab, successfully crossed — same grade as before — and the small splinter removed, this coin has really come into its own… satisfying the 1880s decade and the $10 Coronet design.
So very pleased, and thus began my gold coin collection.
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View Coin
| 1890s |
United States
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$5 1891 CC
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NGC AU 58
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Second rare gold coin I ever ordered, and it was right on the heels of the first coin ordered, so it was the second rare gold coin I had ever seen. The two coins then in my possession, both Carson City, whetted my appetite for collecting because they weren't too expensive, and I wanted to see what other rare gold coins would look like compared to them. For example, what would a Philadelphia gold coin look like? Would it have similar reddish gold? I wanted to know.
I didn't have my goals clearly defined at this point in time, but I had a brand new copy of the 2013 Official Red Book… and I was learning.
Coin satisfies the 1890s decade and the $5 Coronet Head of the 1834 - 1933 US Gold Type Set. During the next twelve months a lot of buying and selling, always for a loss, would take place, and I was soon to realize exactly what my goals would finally entail.
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View Coin
| 1900s & Denver |
United States
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$20 1908 D MOTTO
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NGC MS 65
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This is a fun coin.
Satisfies the 1900 double-aught decade, the $20 Saint-Gaudens denomination design, and the Denver mintmark. (the first of three Denver Mint coins in the collection)
Denver was chosen for this large coin so that the Denver overall gold-mass contribution to the type set would place it as second in line only to my first love of US gold — Carson City.
Colorado holds a place in my heart because of its natural beauty — "the prairies and… wind leaning on the tall grass, lazy streams down in the meadows, angry little midgets of water up in the mountains, cattle moving down the slope against the sun… campfires and… snowdrifts," … hiking… fly fishing — experienced firsthand in my younger years.
The obverse side visually glows with incredible luster when just the slightest amount of light is brought to bear on it. Just lights up! Always fun is locating its "D" mintmark, which is a scant trace of a mintmark, yet still there, unmistakably.
The reverse side, though crisp in sharpness, for some reason is much more austere in terms of reflectivity.
Denver offered this 1908 date in two versions: No Motto and Motto, and since the motto 'IN GOD WE TRUST' provided more "character" and "detail" than just the bland emptiness-alternative of "nothing," there was never a choice for me as to which one I would collect.
Since this coin was purchased from a Florida dealer, whose coin shop resides a mere half an hour drive from Orlando's Convention Center, maybe it would have been more appropriate for me to have begun this coin's write up with…
This is a FUN coin.
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View Coin
| 1910s |
United States
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$5 1914 D
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NGC MS 64
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Satisfies the 1910s decade, the $5 Indian type, and pairs perfectly with its $2.5 1925-D Indian "younger brother."
In February 2023, the coin's holder was edge-tapped to realign the coin's rotation within the prongs to match the way the coin looked when first received back in December 2014. New iPhone SE photos were then taken and uploaded.
The coin's obverse photo in the holder is gorgeous: sharp focus with wonderful lighting-tilt to bring out fine detail and its true gold color.
And a unique optical illusion was captured in the Indian’s gaze:
The angular eyebrow has extending across the bottom of it a darkish line (like a minute hand at 9:30) that tricks you into mistaking it for a squinting eye, thereby lending the appearance of a stern resolve to the portrait as the line continues all the way to the bridge of the nose. However, when you zoom in further the actual eye comes into focus and it details a kind, compassionate eye. The two aspects, together, bring to the Indian chieftain a leadership comportment that is very rare to capture in a single photo.
Finally, the holder’s NGC security banner is displayed in light blue and beige colors, softening the holder’s framing, and the dark-emerald appearance of the CAC “bean” is angled so that it displays itself as many repeating, smaller CAC glyphs, with nary a trace of the typical, large, central blue, CAC logo.
Everything taken together makes this one of my favorite NGC Registry coins to view.
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View Coin
| 1920s |
United States
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$2.5 1925 D
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NGC MS 65
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Satisfies the Roaring Twenties decade. It is the only 1920s Denver Mint quarter eagle, and by pairing it with its 1914-D half eagle "older brother," both of them follow the same order of appearance "coherence" established at the beginning of the collection by the Classic Heads: for same mint, similar-design type coins, large denomination precedes small denomination.
This coin has seen a lot of attention from me to get it to present itself better. Originally acquired as PCGS MS 65, I sent it off to NGC for crossing-over, and also for upgrading to a Scratch-Resistant Holder. It came back as MS 65+, a "+" higher than PCGS had graded: "icing on the 'cross-over' cake."
It's a very dark coin. It has a lot of toning, especially for a gold Indian, and in-hand it looks sort of dingy, with copper-reddish areas, other gun-metal blueish and greenish areas, and still other shiny gold areas. And all of this on such a small coin, that it is.
Together, these colorings lend to an initial-appearance impression of it almost being "warped" — 3-D-like or an optical illusion — and when coupled with its very small mintmark, collectively these aspects make it extremely interesting. However, when photographed — uncommonly careful lighting — only then does it really come to life, maybe because light intensity can be adjusted upward to boost luster reflectivity.
I love the coin because of this toning, but especially so in my collection because it is preceded and followed, decade-wise, by spectacularly crisp and shiny $5 and $10 Indians, and so it makes up for its size "inadequacy" by standing out as uniquely colorful and unusual. Also, on the obverse side, just in front of the Indian's mouth, is some sort of "dark metaphor" that suggests the smoking of a peace pipe.
Perceiving the inherent, unadulterated "darkness" of the coin, took a chance and submitted it for CAC, … and got lucky. The green CAC "bean" really adds warmth to the coin's appearance… puts it in another league. Not just a coin anymore… "art."
Nice. Choice. Very attractive, now… and the collection's highest graded coin!!
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View Coin
| 1930s |
United States
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$10 1932
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NGC MS 64
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Originally purchased as PCGS MS 64 in May 2014.
To enable it to fit as one of 14 coins in the puzzle box, one coin among two stacks of 7 coins each, it had to nest in the collection as one coin in a stack of six other NGC holdered coins. Preferring NGC holders, appearance wise, this coin was submitted for cross over into an NGC Scratch-Resistant holder in January 2015. My accompanying note to NGC read, "Please, please, please cross over. Really like your holders over PCGS. Bob"
Weeks later, the return-shipped box from NGC arrived, and to add to the unboxing excitement, I hadn't checked online to see if this coin had successfully crossed. Not only had it crossed, it had slightly upgraded to an MS 64+. The Scratch-Resistant holder further enhanced the coin's appearance, and since it is a last coin in its stack in the puzzle box, because of its 1932 date placing it at the bottom of the right-hand stack, when the viewer gets to this coin, it is a wonderful endnote to the entire collection.
The coin was so attractive that I took a chance and submitted it for CAC.
Another success!
This is a very beautiful coin.
The face of the Indian Liberty has character in that the eye exudes perceptive vision, and the dark markings on the face lend to heightened cheekbone prominence. It is almost as though warpaint is in play. On the reverse, the Eagle has benefitted from the dark neck marking, which adds a stern resolve to its appearance, and the overall luster of the reverse side further embellishes this impression.
Coin satisfies the needs of a 1930s decade coin in conjunction with the $10 Indian design and denomination.
Mission Accomplished!
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