Tyrant vs. New England Part One: No Motto

After viewing the epic display of the Tyrant Collection of Eagles (1795-1933) at the recent February 2020 Long Beach show, I thought it would be a fun exercise to compare the two finest sets of New Orleans eagles ever assembled: the Tyrant Collection and the New England Collection.

Before we get started, there are some important caveats which we need to discuss. The first is that the New England Collection is specialized (it focuses on New Orleans gold) so it is likely to be “better” than Tyrant. But the Tyrant Collection is far and away the finest set of Liberty Head eagles, and while it doesn’t specifically focus on New Orleans issues, it is specialized as well.

Of the two, the Tyrant Collection is slightly older as it has been assembled since around 2003/2004; the New England Collection was initiated around five years later. Interestingly, both sets are still being improved although it is becoming increasingly difficult for either set to “get better” as so many finest known or second finest known pieces are included.

We’ll look at each specific date of the No Motto type struck in New Orleans from 1841 through 1860 and briefly analyze each year.

1841-O

New England, PCGS/CAC AU58
Tyrant, PCGS AU55

Analysis: The New England coin is the clear finest known, and it is ex: Eliasberg. The Tyrant coin is a close second finest. I sold both of the coins to their respective owners.

Score: New England, 1-0

1842-O

New England, PCGS/CAC MS63
Tyrant, PCGS MS60

Analysis: The New England coin is the clear finest known and it is very PQ as it is in an old green label holder. The Tyrant coin is also very PQ, and would no doubt upgrade if resubmitted.

Score: New England, 2-0

1843-O

New England, PCGS MS62
Tyrant, NGC MS64

Analysis: These are likely the two finest known (a single coin has been graded MS63—by NGC—but it is an upgrade from MS62 and it is not choice).

Score: New England, 2-1

1844-O

New England, NGC MS63, ex S.S. New York
Tyrant, NGC MS63, ex S.S. New York

Analysis: These are the two finest business strikes known for this issue (a single Proof is known). We’ll call this one a tie.

Score: New England, 2-1-1

1845-O

New England, PCGS/CAC MS64
Tyrant, PCGS MS62

Analysis: The New England Collection coin is from the Eliasberg Collection and it has a pedigree dating back to 1890. The Tyrant Collection coin is ex Simpson/Hall.

Score: New England, 3-1-1

1846-O

New England, PCGS/CAC MS64
Tyrant, NGC MS63PL

Analysis: These are the two finest known. The New England coin has a pedigree dating back to 1890, while the Tyrant coin’s pedigree dates back to 1896.

Score: New England, 4-1-1

1847-O

New England, PCGS MS64
Tyrant, PCGS MS64

Analysis: Three examples of this date exist in MS64 and these two sets each contain one. This is a tie.

Score: New England, 4-1-2

1848-O

New England, PCGS/CAC MS66
Tyrant, PCGS MS64

Analysis: The New England coin rates as the single finest No Motto eagle from New Orleans.

Score: New England, 5-1-2

1849-O

New England, NGC MS61
Tyrant, PCGS MS61

Analysis: There are three known in Uncirculated and two are in the New England Collection. Although the two best are numerically tied at MS61, I’m awarding this one to Tyrant as it is a slightly nicer coin.

Score: New England, 5-2-2

1850-O

New England, PCGS/CAC MS65
Tyrant, PCGS MS64

Analysis: These are the two finest by a mile. I hate to not give Tyrant a point but the New England coin, ex Eliasberg, is simply incredible.

Score: New England, 6-2-2

1851-O

New England, PCGS/CAC MS64
Tyrant, PCGS MS64

Analysis: Once again, these are the two finest. It’s debatable which one is “better,” so let’s call this a tie.

Score: New England, 6-2-3

1852-O

New England, NGC MS61
Tyrant, PCGS AU58

Analysis: Here’s the rare instance where the finest known (the Byron Reed coin, in an old green label PCGS MS60 holder) is not included in one of these heavyweight collections.

Score: New England, 7-2-3

1853-O

New England PCGS AU58
Tyrant, PCGS MS61

Analysis: This is a common date in circulated grades but a major rarity in Uncirculated as evidenced by the fact that the best example in these two sets is “only” an MS61.

Score: New England, 7-3-3

1854-O Small Date

New England, PCGS MS60
Tyrant, NGC MS61

Analysis: This is another dater whose rarity in Uncirculated is little understood outside the specialist community. The Tyrant coin is from the S.S. Republic.

Score: New England, 7-4-3

1854-O Large Date

New England, NGC MS63
Tyrant, PCGS MS63

Analysis: These are the two finest known examples of this variety by a large margin. The next best are a small group of MS61s.

Score: New England, 7-4-4

1855-O

New England, PCGS AU55
Tyrant, PCGS MS61

Analysis: There are just two examples of this date known in Uncirculated and both of these (graded MS61 by PCGS) are the Tyrant’s. That’s impressive!

Score: New England, 7-5-4

1856-O

New England, NGC/CAC MS60
Tyrant, PCGS MS60

Analysis: These two coins are the only fully Uncirculated examples of this date which are currently known to exist.

Score: New England, 7-5-5

1857-O

New England, PCGS/CAC AU58
Tyrant, PCGS AU58

Analysis: This date is unknown in Uncirculated and these two are likely the finest known from the small number of coins graded AU58.

Score: New England, 7-5-6

1858-O

New England, PCGS MS63
Tyrant, NGC MS63PL

Analysis: These are the two finest examples of this date. While some might rate the Tyrant coin higher due to its PL designation, I don’t and this is a hard-fought tie.

Score: New England, 7-5-7

1859-O

New England, PCGS AU55
Tyrant, NGC MS62

Analysis: The 1859-O is the rarest New Orleans eagle and the Tyrant coin towers above all others. It is unique in Uncirculated and it comes from the S.S. Republic shipwreck.

Score: New England, 7-6-7

1860-O

New England, PCGS MS62
Tyrant, NGC MS63

Analysis: As with so many of these issues, this is yet another situation where the two finest known are featured in this pair of collections. The Tyrant coin is the finer but just by a single point.

Score: New England/Tyrant deadlocked at 7-7-7