The pearl-gray surfaces of this gem support an iridescent mixture of azure, lavender, and golden amber. Soft luster gently rolls across the surfaces, imparting a vivid satiny texture on the reverse. The strike is firm, with a tinge of weakness on the reverse legend. A swath of planchet roughness remains from before striking behind the 2 of the date, but no post-mint blemishes are seen even under magnification.The 1852 issue has a relatively low mintage of 177,060 coins, a steep departure from figures that were multiples greater throughout the 1840s and that went on to exceed one million coins regularly throughout the 1850s. The population was further diminished by melting in 1853 brought about by a favorable silver-to-gold ratio. Survivors are notably scarce today. This example ranks in the top half dozen coins certified by PCGS, and once belonged to John H. Clapp, one of the most discerning collectors of the past century. The acquisition of Clapps cabinet by Louis Eliasberg in 1942 ranks as one of the most important single transactions in numismatic history.
