1867 $5.00 PCGS EF45

Few coins offer better value than the Reconstruction Era half eagles from the Philadelphia mint and the 1867 is amongst my favorite dates from this period. Only 6,870 business strikes were made and fewer than 100 pieces exist today. PCGS has graded just 34 in all grades and this date is seldom found in grades above the EF45-AU53 range. This example is just about perfect for the grade with nice medium to deep orange-gold color that is contrasted by deeper hues at the borders. The surfaces are very clean with fewer marks than usual for the date and grade. The last two auction prices realized for examples in this grade were both $2,070; these are for an NGC and a PCGS coin back in $2,070. Interestingly, only two other APR's for EF45 examples have been recorded since 1999. A whole lot of coin for not a whole lot of money.

From the RYK Collection