1881-CC $10.00 PCGS AU58 CAC

A tremendously appealing "slider" example with fully original deep orange-gold and reddish color that is contrasted by some deeper hues on the relief details. This coin probably never saw circulation but it has light friction on the high spots from being transported overseas in a bag. That said, it is still more attractive than most CC eagles that I see in MS60 and MS61 holders. The 1881-CC is the most available Carson City eagle from the 1880's but it is still many times more scarce than the 1890-CC, 1891-CC and 1892-CC both in terms of overall and high grade rarity. Most of the nicer 1881-CC eagles that rare available have been found in overseas sources in the last decade or so. This date remains scarce in Uncirculated and very rare in properly graded MS62 and higher. The last PCGS AU58 to sell at auction was Heritage 1/11: 7092 which brought $3,738; the present example is far more original and far more appealing in my opinion.

1871-CC $10.00 PCGS AU55

The 1871-CC eagle is an intriguing date. It is the second most available Carson City eagle from this decade (after the 1874-CC) but, like all the early issue gold and silver from this mint (i.e., pre-1875), it circulated very extensively in the Western states and, as a result, it is exceedingly rare in high grades. I am aware of just two Uncirculated 1871-CC eagles and it is a very rare coin in properly graded AU55 to AU58. This lustrous example is the first higher grade 1871-CC that I have seen in many years that is not overly bright from a recent dipping. It shows nice medium yellow-gold color with a slight reddish-orange tint as it is tilted towards the light. The surfaces show an acceptable number of marks for the grade with a few scuffs in the fields and two small reeding marks (from contact with another coin) on Liberty's neck. I think this coin is significantly nicer than Stack's-Bowers 2011 ANA: 7730 (graded AU58 by NGC and sold for $25,875) and it is the first PCGS AU55 to be available since Heritage 2007 ANA: 1975 which sold for $19,550 in a market which was far less appreciative of high quality CC eagles than the current one. There are a few auction records of over $25,000 for PCGS AU55's in 2006. A very important coin that will, no doubt, find a home in a very important collection of Liberty Head eagles.

1846 $10.00 NGC AU55

The pre- Civil War Liberty Head eagles from the Philadelphia mint are led by the 1844 and the 1858. The next scarcest issue is the 1846 which is a date that is not as well known as the these two. It is likely that not more than 100 are known and this date is usually seen very well worn with VF and EF coins being typical. The present example shows nice deep natural green-gold color with some fiery orange and reddish undertones. As always, the surfaces are abraded; this is an issue that seems to have been well-circulated and roughly handled. There are no overtly detracting marks and the eye appeal is far above-average for the date. There have been just eight AU55's sold at auction since 2000 and my best guess is that this represents just three or four distinct pieces. The 1846 eagle is just about unavailable finer than this.

1855-O $10.00 PCGS AU50

Despite a mintage of just 18,000 coins, the 1855-O eagle is an overlooked rarity that is scarce in all grades and genuinely rare in AU and better. This example has delightful natural green-gold color and great luster with nice surfaces. There are just a few small marks behind the neck and this is a very high end coin for the grade with the "body" of an AU53 to AU55. The stars are flat at the centers as on all known examples. I have not seen an original 1855-O eagle of this calibre in at least half a year, if not more. The last PCGS AU50 to sell at auction was Heritage 1/09: 5534 (which I purchased) and, before this, none was sold since the ANR 1/05 auction. The PCGS population figures for this date are very inflated by resubmissions and I'd venture a guess that this is one of the nicest pieces known in a PCGS AU50 holder!

1839/8 $10.00 PCGS AU53 CAC

Head of 1838, Large Letters reverse. There are two distinct types of eagles made in 1839. The first--and more available--is the Head of 1838 which has a mintage of 25,801. The second--and scarcer--is the Head of 1840 which has a mintage of 12,447. The 1839/8 Type of 1838 is reasonably scarce in all grades but it becomes very scarce in the mid to high AU grades and it is quite rare in Uncirculated. The present example has the luster and body of an AU55 to AU58 coin but it has been net graded as an AU53 due to some chatter in the fields. These marks are clearly visible but not overly detracting. The color of this coin is a nice natural light butter-gold hue and the strike is very sharp with the exception of the radial lines in the stars which, as on most 1839/8 eagles, are weakly impressed. The last auction trade for this variety in PCGS AU53 is Heritage 1/09: 5499 which brought $7,475. The current CAC census for this variety is just two in this grade and one approved higher. A great coin for the advanced collector of Liberty Head eagles.

1848-O $10.00 NGC AU55

The 1848-O is one of the hardest New Orleans eagles from the 1840's to locate but it is actually seen from time to time in Uncirculated, unlike dates such as the 1842-O, 1846-O and 1849-O that are nearly impossible in MS60 or better. This flashy, golden-green example has plenty of natural luster remaining and it shows the typical strike for the issue: an obverse that has a slightly sunken appearance and a sharper reverse. There is a lot of "meat" left on this coin and the surfaces show just a few scattered marks that are consistent with the assigned grade. Only a few dozen properly graded AU 1848-O eagles are known and relatively few have the eye appeal and natural appearance that this piece shows.

1841 $10.00 NGC AU50

A nice, fresh deeply toned example with attractive green-gold color that is contrasted by russet hues in the protected areas. This coin has enough "body" to grade AU55 but it is a bit abraded, as is typical for the issue. The 1841 eagle is not a common date. It is mostly seen in VF-EF and it is undervalued in the lower AU grades. In Uncirculated, this date is very rare. With common date Liberty Head eagles in AU now trading for close to $1,000, a genuinely scarce date like the 1841 at such a small premium seems like exceptional value to me.

1888-O $10.00 PCGS MS62 CAC

I generally don't buy this date unless I see a specific coin that is outstanding and this coin is, in a word, outstanding. It is semi-prooflike with splendid rich natural straw-gold color. A few light scuffs in the fields remove this coin from an MS63 grade but it is far nicer than usual for the grade and pretty comparable to some of the 1888-O eagles that I have seen in 63 holders. As a date, the 1888-O is only moderately scarce in MS62 but I think this coin is great value compared to an MS63 at $4500-5500. This is one of six examples approved by CAC in this grade with just two finer.

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.