Graced with superlative toning of blended frosty gray, pale rose, sea green, and delicate gold, this gem quarter offers unsurpassed originality and visual appeal. The obverse approaches technical perfection, without a single notable defect. A tiny spot of dark toning in front of Libertys portrait is noted but can hardly be considered a deduction. The frosty reverse shows a few tiny marks behind the eagles head, perhaps even left on the planchet prior to striking, and a single mark alongside the wing at left. The cartwheel luster is impressive on both sides but is particularly rich on the obverse. Traces of clash marks are seen on the right side of Liberty, below her undraped arm.While other examples have attained similar numerical excellence, it would be difficult to imagine a more spectacular coin than this one. The MS-68 on the PCGS Population Report is the James W. Lull coin, a brilliant and untoned gem that was graded MS-68 by NGC more than 20 years ago. The Jimmy Hayes coin, last offered without its august provenance in the January 2009 Heritage sale, was last seen in an NGC MS-67 encapsulation and may now be one of the other PCGS MS-66 coins. This example was acquired by the owner of the Foxfire Collection in January 1999. It became part of the D. Brent Pogue Collection when the entire Foxfire Collection was purchased in a single transaction in October 2004. In the decades since it last appeared publicly, no more attractive example has come to market.
