An 1851-O Liberty Head Quarter Eagle coin was sold as part of a lot from Kleinfelter's Auction Inc. in Myerstown on Dec. 13, 2023, according to state police.
Sometime between that day and Dec. 27, the coin was swapped for a standard, still in circulation, dime, investigators explained.
The auction staff did not notice the change in the change, so the dime was shipped to the winner of the lot. When they received the wrong coin and notified the auction house, the police were made aware of the theft.
State police were told the coin was valued at $4,200.
USA Coin Book shows an 1851 O Coronet Head Gold $10 Eagle with a New Style Liberty Head and an 1851 O Liberty Head Gold Dollars, but the only Gold Liberty Head Coin close to the quarter described by the police was originally issued at a value of $2.50 and all of these similar coins, if uncirculated, were valued at approximately $1,000 less that the value PSP shared.
Anyone with information about where this rare and valuable coin may have gone is asked to call Trooper Ocasio at (717) 865-2194.
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