1880-O $10.00 NGC AU58

Lightly worn and very lustrous with bright yellow-gold color that has some moderate orange-gold accents. There is some minor friction seen on the obverse while the reverse is not only free of wear but it grades at least MS61 to MS62 on its own and is spectacular. For many years, the 1880-O was a true sleeper in the eagle series and I touted how undervalued it was. Collectors finally began to listen to me and prices have risen but still not to the point that this date's true rarity merits. There were just 9,200 examples struck and unlike the New Orleans eagles from the 1890's, the 1880-O actually saw circulation. Today, it is extremely rare in Uncirculated and rare in properly graded AU55 to AU58. I saw two other AU58 examples of this date at the recent FUN show. One was an extremely low end coin for the grade which was priced to me at $5,000 while the other was a nice crusty "Euro" coin priced at a strong $5,500. This choice, lustrous piece is a good value for the O Mint eagle collector.

1880-O $10.00 PCGS AU55

Simpson/Hall pedigree.. This date has been a favorite of mine for many years. Only 9,200 were struck and it is the third rarest With Motto eagle from this mint after the very rare 1883-O and the rare 1879-O. When available, the 1880-O eagle is typically seen in the EF40 to AU50 range and nice mid-range to high-range AU's are quite scarce. This very lustrous example would grade AU58 were it not for a few marks on Liberty's neck. It displays considerable mint luster and has nice orange-gold and rose coloration. The last PCGS AU55 example to sell at auction was the Heritage 2010 ANA coin that brought $3,450. Since then, the market for better date Liberty Head eagles has risen appreciably and I think this coin is good value.