1846-D/D $2.50 PCGS EF40 CAC

Winter 7-K. Early die state with the remnants of the first mintmark punch, far to the left, clearly visible over the top of the 1 in the numerator. This variety has proven to be quite scarce as evidenced by the fact that only eight have sold at auction since 2004; an average of around one per year. The last EF40 example was Heritage 1/05: 8545, that sold for $2,560 in a market that was less attuned to the desirability of this issue. Nicely toned with greenish-gold and orange hues covering surfaces that are lightly marked and which still show a touch of luster. Certainly among the most affordable examples of this popular variety.

CAC has approved just this one coin in EF40 with two better for a total of three in all grades.

1846-D/D $5.00 PCGS MS61 CAC

D over D mintmark variety. 1846-D half eagles are known with a normal mintmark and a spectacular D over D that ranks as one of the great mintmark blunders of the era. The 1846-D/D is the more available of the two and there are around ten or so known in Uncirculated grades. This example is well struck and very frosty with lovely light green-gold and yellowish colors on the obverse and reverse. There are a few small ticks in the fields and a shallow planchet void on Liberty's face that is hard to see without light magnification. The last PCGS MS61 example of this variety to sell at auction was Goldberg 5/08: 4668, at $10,350, which was not approved by CAC and which, in my opinion, was far inferior to the present coin. This is an excellent opportunity for the advanced collector to obtain a Condition Census example of one of the neatest varieties ever produced at a branch mint.

This is the only 1846-D/D half eagle in any Uncirculated grade to have been approved by CAC.

1846-D/D $5.00 PCGS AU53 CAC

D over D mintmark variety. I'm going to go out on a limb here and state that this is one of the loveliest circulated Dahlonega half eagles of any date that I have seen in some times. Both the obverse and the reverse are covered with thick warm amber-gold color which is slightly more intense in hue on the reverse than on the obverse. The fields are extremely clean with no marks of note and the strike is excellent with sharp, even detail seen at the centers and borders. A few spots of dirt can be seen on the reverse above and below the D in UNITED. Locating Dahlonega half eagles of this quality has always been difficult and the 1846-D/D is an extremely scarce variety with this degree of originality. A great coin for the connoisseur who appreciates extreme originality.

The 1846-D/D is a spectacular naked-eye variety on which the original mintmark punch was too high and then another was placed directly below it. It is scarce in terms of overall availability but it is actually seen more in high grades than its Normal Mintmark counterpart.

1846-D/D $5.00 NGC EF45

Incorrectly labelled on the holder as an "1846-D" by NGC; it is clearly an 1846-D/D. A pleasing coin for the grade with medium to deep reddish-gold color on the obverse and reverse. There are two small toning spots in the upper left obverse field and a small reverse rim bump at 4:00 that is easy to overlook. This is one of my favorite branch mint varieties and the overmintmark is so bold that it can be easily seen with the naked eye.