1859-S $2.50 NGC AU58

Only 15,200 examples were struck and this is one of my favorite "sleeper" dates in the entire San Francisco quarter eagle series. The 1859-S is very scarce in the higher AU grades and it is very rare in Uncirculated. The beauty of this date in AU58 is that it is affordable and there is a large price jump once the Mint State grades are reached. This piece is bright and quite lustrous with a good strike and just a few small marks in the fields. At less than $3,000 this is a really good value for the collector of undervalued United States gold coins.

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.

1854-S $20.00 NGC AU55

Not many non-specialists are aware of this but the 1854-S is one of the hardest Type One double eagles to find with original color and surfaces. There are dozens of 1854-S double eagles graded AU55 and higher but virtually all are from the S.S. Yankee Blade shipwreck and have seawater surfaces. I have only personally seen or handled two or three Uncirculated 1854-S double eagles that were original (none were better than MS61) and the present example is one of the two or three best circulated pieces that I have seen or owned. It shows lovely deep green-gold color with darker highlights. My guess is that it was found in Europe and somehow has escaped the conservation that has befallen most of the non-shipwreck examples of this date. Yes, it's expensive (I had to really pay up for it!) but if you are a very savvy buyer of Type One double eagles you know how rare and important this coin is.

1854-S $10.00 NGC AU53

Although it isn't a rare coin, I have always liked the 1854-S eagle as it is the first year of issue for the San Francisco mint and it has great Gold Rush connotations. While dozens have been graded AU53 to AU55, few of these have original color and surfaces and this example is very pleasing for the grade with deep orange-gold and rose hues. Although a bit "ticky" from rough handling in commerce, this piece has quite a bit of sharpness and it has the appearance of a coin that grades higher. Even if you don't collect eagles, this is a neat issue to own and one that should be in any collection of branch mint gold.

1858-S $20.00 NGC AU53 CAC

The 1858-S is sort of an overlooked date but it is actually rather scarce in the lower AU grades and very hard to find with nice color and surfaces. This fresh "Euro" example shows rich pinkish-gold, green and orange hues with deeper highlights on the relief areas. It has the body and detail of an AU55 but just a few too many ticks in the fields to grade it as such.

1870-S $20.00 PCGS AU58 CAC

This extremely high end example almost certainly never entered circulation but has a tiny amount of friction on the high spots from shipment in a bag. It displays lovely rose-gold and light green colors on the obverse and reverse and the surfaces are extremely clean with just a few light scuffs. The luster is hard and frosty while the strike is as sharp as I can recall having seen for this date. The 1870-S is not a scarce issue in circulated grades but "Gem Sliders" like this are extremely hard to find. This date becomes rare in Uncirculated and it is almost impossible to find above MS60/61. Trends jumps to $9,500 in MS60, making a high end AU58 at less than half the price seem to be especially good value. This is one of three examples in AU58 approved by CAC; none graded higher have received a CAC sticker.

1859-S $20.00 NGC AU55 CAC

A choice and very fresh example with an obvious "Euro" appearance. The obverse is a deep orange-gold with contrasting darker highlights; the reverse is much lighter with pleasing pale rose and yellow-gold hues. Both sides are quite lustrous and show fewer abrasions than usual for this date. The 1859-S is common below AU55 but it is scarce in properly graded AU55 to AU58 and very rare in full Mint State. It is an especially ahrd coin to locate with good eye appeal as most are poorly struck and extremely baggy. This piece is among the nicer circulated 1859-S double eagles that I have seen or handled in the last few months.

1864-S $20.00 NGC MS61

While not designated as such by NGC, my guess is that this coin is one of the examples recovered from the S.S. Brother Jonathan. It has a slightly semi-granular texture and even light yellow gold color which is reminiscent of the better quality coins from this remarkable group. The eye appeal is really excellent with pleasing color, great detail for the issue (including full radial lines within the stars on the obverse) and very minimally abraded surfaces. A small area of scuffing in the left obverse field is probably all that is keeping this coin from an otherwise-possible MS62 grade. Since the beginning of 2009, only four MS61 examples of this popular Civil War date (all encapsulated by NGC) have sold at auction and anything graded higher than this is very difficult to locate as one might imagine. An important Type One double eagle for the advanced collector.

1856-S $10.00 PCGS AU50

Medium S mintmark. A fresh European example recently graded by PCGS in their Paris office and notable for strong luster, light even wear and nominally abraded surfaces. Not really a rare coin in this grade but a pleasing, wholesome piece which is desirable as an affordable early SF mint eagle.