Kellogg and Co., San Francisco, Gold Fifty-Dollars, 1855, the obverse with a head of Liberty facing left, KELLOGG & CO on the crest of her diadem, the signature of the engraver F(erdinand) GRUNER in small letters at the truncation of the bust, thirteen stars around the edge; the reverse carries the legend SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA, FIFTY DOLLS around an eagle with outstretched wings holding a U.S. shield and a ribbon, above it a second ribbon reads 1309 GRS .887 THOUS (Breen, Encyclopedia, 7921), the obverse with some hairlines and couple of small bumps, which look a lot like bagmarks, in front of the face, a mint-made planchet flaw faintly visible on Liberty's face, otherwise a choice Proof with a very pleasing overall appearance; the reverse even better with the eagle showing a degree of cameo contrast with the fields, the edges clear and sharp; this coin is number six on Walter Breen's list of the eleven known specimens and is known as the Beck specimen after its first recorded owner, it is very much better than the specimen offered by Christie's in March 1990; one of the great rarities of the California series and one of the most spectacular items in U.S. numismatics
Kellogg and Co., San Francisco, Gold Fifty-Dollars, 1855, the obverse with a head of Liberty facing left, KELLOGG & CO on the crest of her diadem, the signature of the engraver F(erdinand) GRUNER in small letters at the truncation of the bust, thirteen stars around the edge; the reverse carries the legend SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA, FIFTY DOLLS around an eagle with outstretched wings holding a U.S. shield and a ribbon, above it a second ribbon reads 1309 GRS .887 THOUS (Breen, Encyclopedia, 7921), the obverse with some hairlines and couple of small bumps, which look a lot like bagmarks, in front of the face, a mint-made planchet flaw faintly visible on Liberty's face, otherwise a choice Proof with a very pleasing overall appearance; the reverse even better with the eagle showing a degree of cameo contrast with the fields, the edges clear and sharp; this coin is number six on Walter Breen's list of the eleven known specimens and is known as the Beck specimen after its first recorded owner, it is very much better than the specimen offered by Christie's in March 1990; one of the great rarities of the California series and one of the most spectacular items in U.S. numismatics
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
