 1857 Brilliant Proof, on the cusp of fully Choice. Here is a delightful silver-white example showing a few light hairlines, with a perceptible die bulge atop the eagle's right wing. This was the last date before the Philadelphia Mint began selling Proofs to the public, as it did from 1858 onwards. The late Walter Breen's in-depth Proof coin research led him to conclude that ''under 15, perhaps under 12 survive.'' Although the exact number may be measurably higher, only a mere handful are known today.
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