1839/8 $2.50 NGC MS60

The 1839 quarter eagle is a rarer coin in Uncirculated than the better-known Charlotte and Dahlonega issues of this year yet it is priced at about half as much. It is not only the most undervalued Classic Head quarter eagle by a long shot, it is a coin whose virtues I have long extolled as among the best values in all of the rare date gold market. In Uncirculated there are probably fewer than ten known and the best I have personally seen is a PCGS MS62 that Heritage sold as Lot 6189 back in their June 2004 auction. At the recent Long Beach sale there was a small hoard of 1839 quarter eagles that was made available to me. Most of the coins were circulated but there was an NGC MS60 and a PCGS MS61 CAC that were priced at $9,500 and $13,750 respectively. I feel that the MS60 I am offering here is a nicer coin than its MS60 counterpart as this one has much of its original skin and pleasing butter-yellow color. There is a bit of chatter on the portrait and a thin, old scratch from star three to the mouth of Liberty that limits the grade. A great buy for the savvy quarter eagle specialist.

1852-C $5.00 NGC AU55

The pricing on this date has become very compacted as an AU55 coin is now worth just a 25-35% premium over a decent quality Extremely Fine. This, in my opinion, makes a nice AU55 like this a good value at current levels. This piece shows strong overall detail and nice natural reddish-gold and green colors. There are some scattered marks visible including a few in the left obverse field and a bar-like depression (mint made?) on the left side of the truncation. The 1852-C is one of the most common half eagles from this mint, making it an affordable choice for a type set.

1847-D $2.50 PCGS AU58 CAC

If I were going to choose a date to employ as a Dahlonega quarter eagle type coin for a set it might well be the 1847-D. This date is among the very best made quarter eagles from this mint and it is a date that can be found with good color as well. The present example has a remarkable "hammered" strike with as much detail as you'd expect to see on a Philadelphia quarter eagle of this era. It shows medium even green-gold color with slight contrast on the relief details. There is no real wear noted, just a bit of friction. I just sold an NGC AU58+ example of this date for $5,000 and the only difference between that example and this is that the NGC coin had more intense color. CAC has approved nine 1847-D quarter eagles in this grade with none finer. The PCGS and NGC population figures for this date are both way inflated in AU58 and higher grades by resubmissions.

1884-CC $20.00 NGC AU55

This is among the more available dates from this mint but it is hard to locate clean, original pieces with nice surfaces and good eye appeal. This example has never been dipped or processed and it shows attractive rich green-gold color on the obverse and reverse. A small mark on the bridge of the nose is probably all that keeps this coin from grading AU58. Very pleasing and a great introductory CC double eagle for the new collector.

1893-O $10.00 PCGS MS63

I have never seen a better example of this date than this coin and it is closer to grading MS64 than any 1893-O eagle I know of. Every MS63 1893-O eagle that I am aware of has tons of abrasions in the fields; to the point that the luster can be impaired. This piece looks more like a 1903-O than an 1893-O with relatively few marks of note, rich, frosty luster and lovely light rose, green and orange-gold color. If this coin had graded MS64, it would have been a "pop 1" example with a potential value of well into five figures. I don't often get excited about Condition Rarities but this is a great coin that deserves to be in the finest collection of New Orleans eagles.

1858-D $1.00 NGC AU55

This is as original an example of this popular Type Three issue as you are likely to find with deep, natural green-gold and reddish colors atop clean surfaces. The strike is well above average for the issue with strong lettering, a sharp date and a full mintmark. While actually fairly available by the standards of Dahlonega gold dollars of this era, the 1858-D is not easy to locate with original surfaces and this piece is really exceptional from the standpoint of appearance. It would be hard to find a better example at this price point and this coin is just perfect for a new collector who is getting started with a Dahlonega type set.

1857-O $10.00 NGC AU55

With a mintage of just 5,000 coins, the 1857-O is among the rarest No Motto eagles. It is an issue that remains unknown in Uncirculated and there are only three to five that I am aware of which can properly be graded as AU58. For most advanced collectors of No Motto eagles, AU55 is the finest grade in which this date is realistically available and choice, original examples are offered about once every two to four years. The present piece is fresh to the market and it is characterized by lovely intense reddish gold color at the borders which frames rich yellow-gold centers. There is some residual prooflike luster seen in the protected areas and the surfaces lack the dense abrasions that characterize this issue. The last APR for an AU55 1857-O eagle is Heritage 3/10: 2438, graded by NGC, which went for $6,900 but which was not as nice as this coin. Before this, there were only two other slabbed AU55's sold since 2000. Obviously, this is a rare coin and it is an important opportunity to fill a hole that exists in most New Orleans eagle sets.

1880 $3.00 PCGS MS64 CAC

Only 1,000 business strikes were produced. The 1880 is an issue that has been popular ever since it was struck. Quantities were saved by contemporary collectors, dealers and hoarders who knew of its small mintage and speculated on it become a rarity someday. It did, a century later, and today's collectors like this date not only for its low mintage but its appearance. This lovely borderline Gem has superb rose, green-gold and orange colors atop vibrant, frosty surfaces. A few small abrasions on the obverse narrowly remove this coin from a higher grade but it has superb overall eye appeal. It is my belief that the PCGS and NGC populations for this date are way inflated, especially in MS64 and MS65 grades. A fantastic coin for a type collector and the exact sort of a coin that, if this series begins to regain its past popularity, has great upside.

1859 $3.00 PCGS MS63 CAC

Let's say that you want a nice PCGS MS63 Three Dollar gold piece for your type set. You can buy a common date like an 1874 or an 1878 in this grade for around $5,000-5,500. Or you can spend an additional few thousand dollars and buy a coin that is genuinely scarce in this grade. To me, that's what makes this choice 1859 three dollar such an appealing coin. It is totally original and very high end for the grade with rich luster that is dusted with pale green-gold and rose shades. There are a few ticks in the left field and at the central reverse but the naked-eye appearance rivals coins of this date that I have seen in MS64. The 1859 is scarce in MS63, rare in MS64 and virtually unavailable in Gem. The last PCGS MS63 to sell at auction was Heritage 12/11: 4505 that brought $7,763.