Finest Known 1838-C Half Eagle Sold: Sets Record Price
/The finer of only two 1838-C half eagles graded Uncirculated by PCGS has been sold for a record price for any business strike Classic Head half eagle, and for any half eagle from the Charlotte Mint…
Read MoreThe Appearance Rarity of No Motto New Orleans Eagles
/It is my contention that CAC has now seen enough coins that we can make important observations about how rare (or not rare) a specific issue is in regards to its appearance…
Read MoreAppearance Rarity of Dahlonega and Charlotte Half Eagles
/As I have pointed out in other articles, perhaps the single most important factor about CAC approval of third-party graded U.S. coins is that it creates a standard which I term “appearance rarity.” This refers to coins which are choice enough for their assigned grade to be accepted by CAC…
Read MoreThe Appearance Rarity of Liberty Head Quarter Eagles: How CAC Populations Help Determine Which Dates Are Rare
/After more than a decade of viewing coins, the numbers which CAC has approved are now a significant sample size. In the case of Liberty Head quarter eagles, I believe that any issue with fewer than eight pieces approved show true appearance rarity.
Read MoreA Story of Numismatic Serendipity: DWN and the 1797 Small Eagle Ten Dollar Gold Piece
/Every now and then, the fates line up… In the case of a wonderful 1797 Small Eagle $10, everything that had to happen, happened, and as a result a great coin came out of hiding at the 2018 ANA show.
Read MoreDWN Sells Finest Known 1861-C Half Eagle
/The 1861-C is an important issue for a number of reasons. It is the final coin produced at the Charlotte mint and it is the only issue from Charlotte with a Civil War association…
Read MoreSome Answers to Your Questions
/At DWN we get asked questions all the time. Some are good questions, some are not so good questions (and some are just plain weird). Let’s focus on some of the better questions and try to answer them for you.
Read More10 Rare Date Gold Coins with Surprisingly Low/High CAC Populations
/To me, CAC populations help to quantify quality. By this, I mean that if 8 examples of a specific date of Liberty Head half eagle have been approved by CAC, we can assume that there are at least 8 above-average examples of this date with some degree of originality and eye appeal. A figure of “8” at PCGS is not as quantifiable when it comes to quality.
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