1851-O $20.00 PCGS EF40

When this coin walked up to my table at the FUN show, my first reaction was "there will be at least five people who order it within the first few hours it's posted." Not only is this a clean, evenly worn example with a great naked-eye appearance, it has a "surprise" feature which I only discovered as I tilted it towards a light source. Outlining the devices are intense iridescent purple-blue flashes which could well be the result of this coin having been stored in a leather pouch or old coin album. This helps to give it a "circulated cameo" appearance that is both novel and very fetching. This is one of only two affordable New Orleans double eagles and locating a more attractive 1851-O for less than $5,000 might be just about impossible.

1855-S $3.00 PCGS EF40 CAC

There were just 6,600 examples struck and this is a numismatically significant issue as the first San Francisco issue of this denomination. The 1855-S is the rarest of the four available San Francisco Three Dollar gold pieces and it is seldom seen in affordable collector grades, especially with natural color and surfaces. This choice, fresh example shows lovely deep natural amber-russet color atop smooth, evenly worn surfaces. There are a few small marks in front of the O in OF but the overall eye appeal of this coin is far above average for the date and grade. This is one of just two examples of this date in EF40 to have ever received approval from CAC (six finer have been recorded as well). The other example, ex Heritage 4/10: 3557, sold for $2,645. I bought that coin out of the aforementioned sale and I think the present example is nicer. This is a great historic branch mint piece for the new collector.

1880-CC $10.00 NGC AU58 CAC

Beginning with this issue, Carson City eagles become more available and there are over 200 examples of this date known. That said, the 1880-CC is scarce in properly graded AU55 to AU58 and very rare in full Mint State. This frosty slider has nearly full luster and it shows nice central rose color that deepens to a fiery orange-gold about the border. There are some marks noted in the fields but there is just the slightest amount of wear. It is my opinion that this issue is a good value in AU58 as an Uncirculated coin is worth at least $15,000-20,000; if you can even find one. The last auction trade for an NGC AU58 was Heritage 1/11: 7288 that brought a strong $6,900. This example is one of five 1880-CC eagles approved by CAC with just one finer (a PCGS MS61 in a private collection that sold for nearly $50,000 a few years ago). A good addition to a high quality date set of Carson City eagles.

1866-S WM $5.00 PCGS EF40

With Motto variety. 1866 is an important transitional year in American numismatics. During this year, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to the reverse of all coins large enough to fit it. While the transition was smooth in Philadelphia, it didn't go as well in San Francisco and issues are known with both No Motto and With Motto reverses. In the half eagle series, the With Motto 1866-S half eagle is the more available of the two with a reasonably high mintage of 34,920. Many of these were melted, however, and the 1866-S WM half eagle is very rare above EF40. This example is totally original and problem-free with nicely blended green-gold, rose and orange-gold hues atopn clean, problem-free surfaces. The stars at the left are weak as a result of an uneven strike; this is common for this issue. Since 1982, only five EF40 examples of this date have been sold at auction. No PCGS EF40's have sold since Superior 9/98: 2065, which brought $1,955 well over a decade ago. Coins like this are being recognized (finally!) as true scarcities but they are still very good values.
Br> From the RYK Collection.

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

1871 $3.00 NGC AU58

This is one of my favorite "sleeper" dates in a series that, as of the end of 2011, offers as much value on a per coin basis as any group of gold coins in all of American numismatics. This bright, highly lustrous slider has the naked-eye look of an MS61 to MS62 piece but there is just the slightest touch of rub on the high spots. The surfaces are very clean and the eye appeal is very high for the date and grade. Only 1,300 business strikes were made and, unlike the low mintage Threes of the 1880's, this date was not hoarded by contemporary collectors and dealers. At around double the price of a common date issue like an 1854, 1874 or 1878, this is a remarkable value for the savvy collector.

1872 $20.00 NGC MS61 CAC

While slightly more than 250,000 examples were struck, the 1872 is a scarce coin in Uncirculated and an issue that is very rare in properly graded MS62 and above. Most of the surviving Uncirculated examples are in the MS60 to MS61 range and are characterized by excessively abraded surfaces and bright, character-free luster. This example, which was recently uncovered in Europe, has just about the best color that I can recall having seen on an 1872 double eagle with very intense glowing orange-gold and pale greenish hues. There are some light scuffs in the fields but none are deep and detracting and the high spots lack any friction or signs of wear. There have been five auction records for MS61 examples of this issue since March 2008 and the results have ranged from a low of $8,625 to a high of $9,775. There is a huge price jump for this date from MS61 to MS62, making a high end MS61 coin like this a great value for the advanced double eagle collector.

1892-CC $5.00 PCGS MS61 CAC

Lustrous and original with nice rose color that deepens at the borders. This piece has the body of an MS62 but it has some clusters of abrasions in the obverse fields that keep it at an accurate MS61. The 1892-CC half eagle is many times scarcer than the 1891-CC but it doesn't sell for a premium that reflects this rarity disparity. CAC has approved six in this grade with seven finer.

1875-CC $20.00 NGC AU58 CAC

This choice slider is totally free of wear but it is a bit too "ticky" on the obverse to grade MS61. But it has the look and eye appeal of many CC double eagles graded higher. The surfaces are frosty with rich natural rose and orange-gold color. The depth and richness of these hues show clearly that this is a totally original coin which has never been dipped or brightened. The 1875-CC is the most available Type Two double eagle from this mint which makes it ideal for type purposes. A very nice example which is head and shoulders nicer than most seen in AU58 holders.