A prooflike gem 1796 B-2 quarter is the headline lot of Heritage Auctions' Long Beach Expo on September 4-6, with a minimum bid of $220,000.
The lot, a former jewel in the crown of the famous Norweb collection, is believed to be one of the first quarters struck in the United States.
 The 1796 quarter is one of the first ever struck in the United States |
The issue was released in a limited run of just 5,894. That this coin was among the first is evidenced by the fact the numeral 6 on the date is slightly higher than on later examples.
Heritage comments: "This boldly defined Gem is one of the finest existing 1796 quarters. Steel, russet, and sea-green toning enhances the underlying deep golden appearance…
"An early die state example, the Norweb Gem is struck from perfect dies, adding credence to the idea that it is a special presentation strike."
The best example of a 1796 quarter, from the Eric P Newman collection, sold for $1.5m in November last year.
Also included in the sale is a round variant of the 1915 $50 Panama-Pacific, which is offered with a minimum bid of $130,100.
It was minted for an exposition held in San Francisco to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal.
Heritage is to conduct a number of sales at Long Beach, which will include an 1874 gold Burgers pond coarse hair and a 1931 Saint Gaudens double eagle.
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