Chester Beach's 1932 Quarter Design Submission
1932 Washington Quarter Obverse Positive Plaster. By Chester Beach. About Uncirculated.
24 cm (9 3/8 inches), 20.7 mm thick. An important design submission for the 1932 quarter, first revealed in the discovery of the Chester Beach studio collection and offered in our (Stack's) September 2009 sale as follows: "Washington bust l. after the bust by Jean-Antoine Houdon, LIBERTY, IN GOD/ WE TRUST, 1932 around. Wide rim and bold lettering distinguish this entry in a busy Depression-era competition. The Commission of Fine Arts twice declared Laura Gardin Fraser the winner, only to be overruled by Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon who decreed that John Flanagan's design would be adopted. Perhaps as many as four of the unsuccessful designs have ever been publicized, the Beach entry appearing here for the first time. Edge is soiled from dusty storage." Some minor edge chips but the design is intact. Handsome and undoubtedly unique. The realization of $9,200 in 2009 speaks to the historic importance of this discovery. Today, more designs are accounted for, as is clear in the present offering, but all are historically important and extremely rare.
From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex the studio collection of Chester Beach; our (Stack's) Americana Sale, September 2009, lot 5131.
Price realized | 2'800 USD |
Starting price | 1 USD |
Estimate | 12'000 USD |