1851-D $5.00 PCGS EF45

In collector grades (i.e., VF and EF) the 1851-D is one of the more difficult Dahlonega half eagles to find. When available, it is inevitably softly struck, bright from having been dipped and heavily abraded. This deeply toned, sharply struck example is a welcome exception. It displays rich natural russet-gold color with some purplish iridescence surrounding the stars, date and reverse lettering. The surfaces are free of any significant marks and the strike is exceptional for the date with completely defined centers and a strong mintmark placed far to the right. On the reverse, there is a good deal of dirt adhering to the lettering and within the lines of the shield. In my experience, this date, along with the 1848-D, is the most underrated half eagle from this mint and pieces of this quality are genuinely scarce.