1831 C. Bechtler Two and a Half Dollar Gold Piece - No 75 Grains, Fine Beads

Coin Details

Auction Record

$105,000 AU58 01-16-2022 Heritage Auctions

Description

The 1831 Christopher Bechtler Two and a Half Dollar Gold Piece without the 75-grain designation and with fine beads shares the same basic design as the coarse beads variety (PCGS #10083) but employs a different beaded border treatment. The fine beads are smaller and more closely spaced around the perimeter of the coin, giving it a more refined appearance. Like its coarse beads counterpart, this variety omits the "75.G" grain weight mark that appears on other Bechtler quarter eagles. The distinction between fine and coarse beads reflects the use of different dies, each individually hand-engraved by Christopher Bechtler. The beaded border served both a decorative purpose and a practical one — it helped protect the raised design elements from wear and provided a visual frame for the inscriptions. The variation in bead size between dies is a natural consequence of hand engraving, where the size and spacing of decorative elements depended on the engraver's technique with each individual die. This variety is among the scarcest Bechtler quarter eagles. The combination of an early production date, the absence of the grain weight mark, and the specific fine bead border treatment makes it a challenging acquisition for collectors building a complete Bechtler type set. NGC does not list a separate entry for the fine beads sub-variety, combining it with the coarse beads under a single classification.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Estimated 15-25 surviving examples. Among the scarcest Bechtler quarter eagle varieties. No separate NGC listing.

Cross References

PCGS #10082