1859-S $2.50 NGC EF45

Here's proof that you don't have to spend big bucks to collect interesting 19th century United States gold coins. Nice, original coin? Check. Scarce date? Check. Expensive in higher grades? Check. What''s stopping you? Take the plunge!

1890-CC $20.00 NGC AU55

The "Achilles heel" for many new collectors when it comes to CC double eagles is marks. It is hard for them to buy these coins because they tend to have marks. Lots and lots of marks. But if a markophilic collector is patient a clean CC double eagle can be found now and again. And this piece is clean. Really clean. The satiny yellow-gold surfaces are nearly free of marks, the strike is razor sharp and the naked-eye appearance is more suggestive of an AU58 than an AU55.

1883-CC $10.00 NGC AU58

The 1883-CC is the rarest CC eagle in high grades struck after 1879. It is most often found in the EF40 to AU50 range and many examples (depending on the die variety) are seen with very weak strikes. This highly lustrous piece shows a bare minimum of wear but it does have signs of contact from being knocked around loose while being shipped overseas in a bag. The color is a pleasing light yellow-green with a hint of reddish around the stars and the reverse device. It is extrermely well struck with detail not often seen on this issue. In Uncirculated, the 1883-CC is nearly unobtainable and I doubt if more than three or four exist. Properly graded AU58's are far and away the best most collectors can hope for (and they are priced at around one-third what a so-so MS61 would bring, if available...) The last NGC AU58 to sell at auction was Lot 7106 in the Heritage January 2011 extravaganza and it brought $6,325; the color on that coin can be charitably described as "a bit funky."

1846-D $2.50 PCGS AU50 CAC

This coin would grade at least AU55 but it has been net graded by PCGS due to the presence of a small natural planchet flaw on the reverse at the second S in STATES. It has lovely rich natural color with warm amber-gold hues that are similr in hue and appearance on both sides. The strike is as sharp as any that I can recall on this date with no weakness at the very centers as typically seen. As a date, the 1846-D is relatively available in the lower to middle AU grades but there are very few pieces which show the color that this piece has and even fewer with the aforemetioned definition of strike.

1842 Large Letters $5.00 NGC AU53

Large Letters variety. You can make a strong arguement that the 1842 Large Letters is the single rarest Philadelphia half eagle until the low production issues of 1863-1865. There are probably fewer than fifty known in all grades and most are in the EF40 to AU50 range. I know of exactly two in Uncirculated (an MS63 and an MS64, both graded by PCGS) and my best estimate is that issue is a Low R-7 in AU grades with fewer than a dozen known. In spite of this, the 1842 Large Letters is a readily affordable coin. This example, which is only the second I've offered for sale in over four years, has decent eye appeal with light to medium greenish-gold color accentuated by some reddish flashes in the protected areas. There are scattered ticks in the fields that limit the grade but good overall detail. If you are a collector who appreciates true rarity but you don't have an unlimited budget, you have to love a coin as scarce as this that is priced at under $4,000!

1867 $5.00 NGC EF45

After years and years of neglect, coins like this are finally starting to get their due. And for good reason. Let's take a quick peek at the 1867 half eagle. This Reconstruction Era issue has an original mintage figure of just 6,870. The combined PCGS/NGC population for the date is 88 coins which, of course, includes many resubmissions. The likely number known is fewer than 100 and it may be as low as 75. Yet despite this coin's obvious rarity, Trends is a paltry $1,750. Collectors are more into value and rarity than ever before and series like Liberty Head half eagles have numerous issues like the 1867. People may not buy this coin to start a date run but they know value when they see it. Not to mention the fact that this particular coin is really pleasing for the grade with natural light rose and green-gold color and some luster remaining on both sides. A few marks can be seen in the left obverse fields but overall this is a solid coin for the grade and an impressive value for less than $2,500.

1842-D Small Date $5.00 NGC EF40

Small Date variety. This is the more available of the two varieties of half eagle made at the Dahlonega mint in 1842; the 1842-D Large Date is rare in all grades. This piece has wonderful color with a crescent of electric blue and purple at the left; the reverse shows similar but less intense hues at the right border and outlining the eagle. This color is unquestionably real and it is likely the result of this piece having either been stored in a leather pouch or an old Wayte Raymond-style coin album. The surfaces are fairly abraded as is often seen on 1842-D Small Date half eagles but if you like colorfully toned southern branch mint gold coins I'm willing to bet that you'll overlook these abrasions due to the dramatic color. I'm asking around a 10-15% premium for the color and, for the right collector, this is a going to seem like a real bargain!

1840 $2.50 NGC MS60

This numismatically significant issue represents the very first quarter eagle struck with the new Liberty Head design at the Philadelphia mint. The 1840 was not saved in any quantity and it is seldom seen above EF45 to AU50. In fact, until the discovery of a small group of MS63 to MS64 examples in the mid-1990's, the 1840 quarter eagle was essentially unavailable in Uncirculated (with the exception of the Bass-Garrett example which is now in a PCGS MS64 holder). The present example is fresh and would grade at least a point or two higher if it were not for some weakness of strike which is fairly pronounced at the centers. The surfaces are slightly scuffy but have warm, rich golden-orange and greenish color which are indicative of this piece never having been dipped or lightened. It would be an interesting to combine this coin with a high grade 1840 half eagle and eagle and assemble a three piece "first year of issue" Liberty Head gold trio.

1856 $5.00 PCGS MS61 CAC

While very common in all circulated grades, the 1856 half eagle is not at all common in Uncirculated and nearly impossible above the MS62 to MS63 level. This lovely, fresh example has great eye appeal for the grade and looks more like a coin in an MS62 holder. The surfaces are very clean and show attractive golden-orange color. This piece has never been dipped or brightened and this can be established by the fact that there is a natural copper spot on the reverse at the first T in STATES. What appears to be a scratch on the cheek of Liberty is actually a mint-made raised die line that I have seen on a number of other examples of this date. Only three PCGS MS61's of this date have appeared at auction since May 2007. This is one of only two MS61 1856 half eagles approved by PCGS with one finer. A wonderful No Motto type coin.