1853-D $5.00 NGC AU53 CAC

Large D mintmark. This coin has among the more interesting back stories of any D mint half eagle that I've offered for quite some time. I purchased it from a dealer in the United States who imported it from Europe. This dealer, who is extremely knowledgeable about U.S. gold coins, says that this is one of the very few Dahlonega pieces that he has been able to buy in the last few years. He added that both Charlotte and Dahlonega coins are almost never found in Europe, despite his careful scrutiny of tens of thousands of gold coins every year. Besides the neat story, the coin itself is pleasing with lovely multi-hued reddish-gold hues on the obverse and, more extensively, on the reverse. Both sides are lightly abraded and both show a good deal of natural dirt in the protected areas. The 1853-D is one of the most common Dahlonega half eagles but you could look for years and not find an example with better color than this