1860-C $5.00 NGC AU53 CAC

This is the second-to-last half eagle made at the Charlotte mint and it is a scarcer issue in all grades. It is also one of the most crudely made with improperly hardened dies making it appear very worn on the reverse; even on higher grade examples. This piece is one of just a handful of 1860-C half eagles that remain with natural color and it has never been cleaned or dipped like most. The color is an attractive deep, even green-gold with a thin band of contrasting coppery-rose at the border. There are a couple of old marks in the fields that are nicely hidden by the depth of the color and a small horizontal strip in the left obverse field is as made.

1889 $20.00 NGC MS61

When gold was $750 an ounce, dates like the 1889 sold for significant market premiums over common Type Three double eagles. But now that gold has soared to over $1,800, the premium factor for the 1889 is next to nothing. This means that you can buy a genuinely scarce coin for essentially no premium. No brainer, eh? Not only is this an easy coin to appreciate its value, its a choice, original piece with handsome color and natural luster. Take advantage of values like this while you can!

1859-S $20.00 NGC AU53 CAC

This is certainly not a scarce date until you get into the Mint State grades but locating choice, unmolested About Uncirculated examples is much harder than you might think. In my experience, most 1859-S double eagles have been dipped and show extensive abrasions as well. This choice example has attractive deep original color and a considerable amount of luster for the grade. To find a finer 1859-D double eagle in this date and price range will prove next to impossible.

1827 $5.00 PCGS MS62 CAC

Due to extensive meltings beginning in 1834, the half eagles from the 1820's and early 1830's include a number of great rarities. One is these is certainly the 1827, an issue for which only 30 or so are known to exist. As with most of the half eagles of this era, the 1827 did not circulate and the few that survive tend to be in relatively high grades. There are a handful of Gem 1827 half eagles known including an NGC MS66 that sold for $322,000 in the Stack's January 2008 auction.

This example is fresh to the market and it has a superb appearance for the grade. The surfaces are very clean with lovely satiny luster below rich green-gold color which is totally "right" for this date. There is a small semi-circular line in the planchet located on the top of Liberty's cheek that is mint-made and serves as ready identification; a small reverse toning spot at the D in the valuation also assists in identifying this gorgeous coin.

The last 1827 half eagle in MS62 to trade at auction was Stack's 6/08: 2088 (encapsulated by NGC) that brought $74,750. There have been 11 auction appearances in total for the 1827 half eagle since 2000, and no PCGS MS62 examples have ever sold at auction.

An excellent coin to compare this to is the 1832 13 Stars half eagle that was just sold by Stack's Bowers in the 2011 ANA auction as Lot 7674. As with the present coin, that 1832 half eagle was graded MS62 and had CAC approval. But I think this 1827 is a nicer looking coin from a visual standpoint, and it is clearly a rarer date. The 1832 brought $86,250 and it sold to a savvy wholesale dealer.

Coins like this 1827 half eagle are rarely encountered, and are almost never offered via private treaty. If you have been looking for a meaningful coin to "put away" or if you would like to own a lovely example of an indisputable great rarity, this is the coin you have been waiting for! 1827 Half Eagle Graded MS62 by PCGS and CAC Approved

Coinapedia Update

One of the truly great features on the DWN website (www.raregoldcoins.com) is the Coinapedia. Many collectors now use this site as a reference--some even daily--but others aren't familiar with it. The reason that I started the Coinapedia project last year was simple: I don't think there is enough high quality non-commercial information available for the collector of United States gold coins. So I decided to create an online coin encyclopedia that would, eventually, feature pictures and descriptions of nearly every issue of United States gold coin produced between 1795 and 1933.

Here's the catch: the coins that are pictured are ones that I have sold within the last two or three years. Instead of just cutting and pasting images from various websites and online resources, I wanted to use the talents of my assistant Jenna Van Valen, whose work is the best in the coin industry. I wanted the images to not only be good but to be consistent.

The descriptions of the coins are taken from the descriptions on my site when they were listed for sale. But I've tried to take out all commercial references and focus on the "meat." This makes Coinapedia a real on-line reference, not just fluff for my firm.

So where do we stand with Coinapedia as of the end of the Summer of 2011?

Gold Dollars are a strong area on the site with no less than 52 different images and descriptions. I anticipate that most of the branch mint gold dollars will be present within the next year or so. The common dates from the 1880's might actually be the last coins added as I rarely handle these.

There are now 95 images and descriptions of quarter eagles on Coinapedia, and I would expect that by the end of the year we will have well over a hundred different issues included.

Three Dollar gold pieces, despite being a favorite series of mine, are probably the weakest part of the Coinapedia site right now. There are just 30 issues represented. I hope to be up over 50 by the Spring of 2012.

By far the strongest part of the site are the half eagles with no less than 145 (!) images and descriptions included to date. While this denomination will, obviously, never be complete (I doubt that I will be handling an 1854-S any time soon...) it is, nonetheless, the best on-line reference for this denomination that currently exists.

The eagle denomination is shaping up nicely with 84 different issues currently included in Coinapedia. I expect this to become a very strong area of the site as eagles are a series that I actively buy and sell. There will be one area of weakness: the common With Motto issues from 1880 to 1907 aren't likely to be included as I seldom--if ever--handle these.

Given the fact that I am one of the leading market makers in double eagles, I expected there to be more than 76 issues represented by this time. The problem with this denomination is that many of the better double eagles that I buy get shipped out to buyers so quickly they never make it onto Jenna's camera stand for imaging. I promise to slow the process down a little bit and to make certain more of the prized Liberty Head double eagles that come through DWN are imaged for future reference!

I hope you will give the Coinapedia a try and see if you don't think its an invaluable reference. I would love your input about it and welcome emails to me at dwn@ont.com.

1808 $5.00 PCGS AU53 CAC

BD-3. Rarity-4. Normal 5D. Struck from clashed dies. This is the second 1808 half eagle in PCGS AU53 with CAC approval that I've handled since ANA; the last one sold quickly and was the slightly more common BD-4 variety. This piece is very lustrous with light, even wear that is most noticeable in the obverse fields. There is enough body remaining to consider this coin at an AU55 grade but there are just a few too many very light ticks in the fields. The strike is sharp with full detail at the centers and borders; the surfaces lack any adjustment marks. Another handsome example and good value at under $10,000.

1877-CC $20.00 PCGS MS62

In the early 1990's, a small group of high quality 1877-CC Carson City double eagles was found overseas and repatriated to the United States. They were sold mostly in the Bowers and Merena Stetson auction in 1993 and the present example, I believe, is from this group. It is tied with a small number of other coins as the single highest graded example of this date and it is certainly one of the finest--if not the finest--1877-CC available to collectors. The best feature of this coin is its superb natural deep orange-gold color which is accentuated by darker highlights on the relief areas of the obverse and, to a lesser degree, on the reverse. There are a few light scuffs on Liberty's face and neck; the central reverse shows some abrasions and there is a scrape right below the mintmark that serves as identification. With the popularity of Carson City double eagles reaching an all-time high, coins like this become more and more in demand.

1800 $5.00 PCGS MS62 CAC

BD-5, High Rarity-3. Terminal reverse die state with cracks as shown on the BD plate coin. I've always thought that this issue had a highness "coolness factor" due to the fact that it is the first half eagle produced in the 19th century. As a date, the 1800 is underrated in all grades and it becomes really scarce in MS62 and rare in MS63 and above. This coin is exceptional for the date with light green-gold color atop reflective, slightly PL surfaces; the reverse is a bit more frosty in texture. Both sides show just a few marks consistent with the grade and the strike is sharp except for the absolute center of the obverse; a characteristic seen on all examples of this die variety. As I have written before, MS62 is a great value point for early half eagles as coins in this grade are generally nice but priced considerable lower than those in MS63 holders. This 1800 half eagle would make a great type example for the collector searching for a high quality Capped Bust Right half eagle.

1872-CC $20.00 PCGS EF45 CAC

This is one of the few really nice examples of this date that I have seen in an EF45 holder; most are overgraded, overdipped and overabraded. The surfaces are extremely clean with limited abrasions and attractive medium natural green-gold color. The 1872-CC is the first double eagle from this mint that can be acquired by the collector of average means. It is comparable to the 1873-CC but it is a touch more available in higher grades. I rank it as the fifth rarest of nineteen CC double eagles in terms of high grade rarity. This issue becomes pricey in AU grades and, to my eyes, this choice EF example has better eye appeal than most graded AU50 or even AU53.