1813 $5.00 PCGS MS63 CAC

BD-2. R-4. The Capped Head Left, Large Diameter type, struck from 1813 through 1829, contains some of the rarest gold issues ever produced by the United States mint. Only the 1813 is somewhat readily available in the lower Uncirculated grades and this makes it the ideal date for use in a type set of U.S. gold. This example is original and choice for the grade with very nice intense lemon-gold color on both sides. The strike is typical for the date with some softness on the border beads but good overall detail at the centers. There is some light marking in the obverse and reverse fields that limits the grade but the freshness and eye appeal of this coin make it as nice a Fat Head half eagle as you are likely to find in this grade and price range. The next grade up (in a PCGS holder and with a CAC sticker) will cost you over $55,000 if you can even find one!

CAC has given approval to ten examples in this grade and seven higher than this.

1860-S $20.00 PCGS EF45 CAC

Original and solid for the grade with even medium green-gold hues seen on the obverse and the reverse. A few small reeding marks can be seen on the obverse with one at the truncation and another inside of the first star. This date is not easily found with better color and surfaces than what is seen on this pleasing, affordable example.

1842 Large Date $10.00 NGC AU58

Large Date variety. There are two varieties of eagles produced at the Philadelphia mint in 1842: the Small Date and the Large Date. The former is the scarcer of the two but the Large Date is more challenging to locate than its mintage figure of 62,884 would suggest. This date is usually seen in the EF40 to AU50 grade range and it becomes very scarce in properly graded AU55 to AU58. In Uncirculated, it is a really rare coin and it is an issue that I have not handled in Mint State since the early 1990's. This fresh example shows no real wear but does display some abrasions from having been transported in a bag. The color is a lovely fiery orange-gold hue with some contrasting reddish shades about the devices. There have been no AU58 1842 Large Date eagles sold at auction since 2008 and the last MS60 (a PCGS coin) sold for $10,925 in the Heritage 3/09 sale despite its funky orange coloration. There are many great opportunities for the value-conscious collector in the Liberty Head eagle market and these early dates from Philadelphia offer some of the best value out there.

1855-O $20.00 PCGS EF45 CAC

Here's yet another reason why I love being a coin dealer: after a couple of years of not handling an example of this very rare double eagle, I have now bought two in less than than three weeks. I just sold the Pittman 1855-O (also graded EF45 and approved by CAC) and am now pleased to offer what I believe to be the single nicest piece that I have ever seen in an EF45 holder. This is a very original 1855-O with superb deep color on the obverse and reverse. Both sides are a rich green-gold with pronounced reddish shadings at the right obverse border and across nearly all of the reverse periphery. The surfaces are choice and exceptionally clean for the issue with no marks of note except for a tiny shallow mint-made planchet flake to the left of the 1 in the date. Interestingly, the Pittman coin that I just sold also had an obverse flake; this time below the 55 in the date. This example has really marvelous overall eye appeal and I doubt if you could find a piece with a better appearance in today's market. As I said when describing the Pittman coin, the 1855-O is the rarest collectible New Orleans double eagle and I think it is considerably undervalued in relation to issues such as the 1859-O, 1860-O and 1879-O.

1842-O $10.00 NGC AU53 CAC

Coinage of the eagle denomination at the New Orleans mint didn't begin until 1841 and given the fact that the first year of issue is rare and expensive, for most collectors the 1842-O is the first available issue. The 1842-O has a mintage of 27,400 and it is only marginally scarce in lower grades but it becomes very scarce in properly graded AU53 and higher. Nearly all the examples that I see graded AU53 to AU55 are heavily abraded and show no originality. This example is a nice exception to the rule(s) as it is very clean and shows nice deep green-gold color with underlying flashes of reddish-gold at the date and borders. The strike is very sharp with just a bit of weakness on the curl above the ear and the fields are smooth. This piece has really good eye appeal for the date. Scarce and attractive.

1806 Round 6 $5.00 PCGS MS62 CAC

This fresh to the market example has glowing yellow-gold color and excellent luster which is unusual for the date as many 1806 Round 6 half eagles are dull and satiny in texture. The strike is a bit better than usual for the variety with good detail at the centers and sharp denticles; the radial lines in the stars are, as usual, flat. There are a few scuffs in the obverse fields and a small mint-made area of roughness on the left side of the I in LIBERTY while the reverse is extremely clean and would grade at least MS63+ on its own accord. The last two PCGS MS62 examples of the 1806 Round 6 half eagle were Stack's Bowers 2011 ANA: 7660 and Heritage 2010 ANA: 3479 which brought $25,875 and $21,850 respectively. This coin has really exceptional eye appeal and it is the perfect grade for most type collectors as a PCGS MS63, if available, would cost $35,000+ and might not be all that much better than this.

1843-D $5.00 PCGS AU53 CAC

Medium D mintmark variety. Very well struck as is typically the case of this date and variety with full radial lines within the stars and sharp, individually defined hair and feather details. The color is an attractive medium to deep green gold which is "correct" for original examples of this date. This coin would probably grade AU55 or even AU58 if it were not for the presence of a reeding mark on Liberty's throat and small, thin nick on the cheek. A great piece for the type collector or a good piece for the new Dahlonega specialist who wants to get his feet wet with a nice quality but affordable half eagle.

1856-D $5.00 NGC EF45

I almost never see this date in the EF grades. Most 1856-D half eagles are in higher grades (AU53 and up) and this is due to the presence of a hoard as well as a lack of circulation. But this piece is not only a Choice EF, it has lovely warm reddish-gold color at the borders and smooth, lightly abraded surfaces. The strike is typically soft with the radial lines in the stars very flat and somewhat beveled edges.

1853-D $5.00 NGC AU53 CAC

Large D mintmark. This coin has among the more interesting back stories of any D mint half eagle that I've offered for quite some time. I purchased it from a dealer in the United States who imported it from Europe. This dealer, who is extremely knowledgeable about U.S. gold coins, says that this is one of the very few Dahlonega pieces that he has been able to buy in the last few years. He added that both Charlotte and Dahlonega coins are almost never found in Europe, despite his careful scrutiny of tens of thousands of gold coins every year. Besides the neat story, the coin itself is pleasing with lovely multi-hued reddish-gold hues on the obverse and, more extensively, on the reverse. Both sides are lightly abraded and both show a good deal of natural dirt in the protected areas. The 1853-D is one of the most common Dahlonega half eagles but you could look for years and not find an example with better color than this