1893 Isabella Quarter. Proof-64 (NGC).A rare and highly attractive Proof striking of this historic and popular classic commemorative issue. The reflective fields frame sharply defined and frosty devices, with dramatic cameo contrast apparent on both sides. Brilliant. One of only 103 Proofs reportedly struck, all in presentation envelopes numbered 1 through 100, plus the numbers 400 (years since the "discovery" of America by Christopher Columbus), 1492, and 1892; the Breen <em>Encyclopedia</em> (1988) notes that most of the presentation envelopes have been lost to the ages. Petitioned by the Board of Lady Managers of the Columbian Exposition, the issue features a stylized portrait of Queen Isabella as the central obverse device, with a kneeling woman with spindle in hand signifying the industrious nature of women as the reverse design. The present example is among the finer certified survivors of this elusive Proof issue, an ideal candidate for inclusion in an advanced numismatic cabinet.
