1875-CC $20.00 NGC EF40 CAC

Evenly worn with nice orange-gold color and plenty of dirt on the surfaces. While certainly not a rare coin, I feel that this attractive piece offers excellent value in today's market and it is clearly a superior example for the grade with far more originality than usual for a CC double eagle in the Extremely Fine range.

1890-CC $20.00 NGC AU55 CAC

Extremely lustrous and very nice toned with splashes of subtle coppery-rose color on the obverse; the reverse is more uniform in its appearance. There are a few scattered ticks that limit the grade but this piece compares favorably, in my opinion, to many CC double eagles in AU58 holders. The 1890-CC is one of the more common double eagles from this mint which makes it ideal for type purposes.

1866 $20.00 PCGS AU58 CAC

With Motto variety. In 1866, coinage of the new Type Two double eagles began with the addition of the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to the reverse. Nearly 700,000 examples were made and this is certainly not a rare date in terms of the total number known. However, the 1866 becomes progressively scarcer as the grading scale is climbed and properly graded AU58 examples are far harder to locate than their seemingly high population figures would suggest. This example is a glorious "slider" with superb deep original orange-gold color and a slightly less exaggerated than usual "Euro" appearance with contrasting highlights. There is no real wear to speak of and a considerable amount of natural mint frost below the toning. I was offered an MS61 example of this date recently (for $14,500) that I felt was inferior to this example from the standpoint of eye appeal. CAC has approved nine 1866 With Motto double eagles in AU58 but it is hard to imagine any of them having a better appearance than this coin.

1834 Classic $5.00 PCGS AU55 CAC

Plain 4. This is an extremely attractive, lightly circulated example with an exquisite appearance due to its rich natural deep gold and reddish coloration. There is just the slightest amount of friction visible on the high spots and the luster is very frosty and barely broken. I have seen numerous Classic Head half eagles in AU58, MS60, MS61 and even MS62 holders that couldn't begin to compare to this exceptional piece.

1857-C $1.00 NGC AU58 CAC

There are only two Type Three gold dollars from the Charlotte mint: the 1857-C and the 1859-C. The former is less rare in terms of overall rarity but it is much, much harder to find in higher grades. In fact, the 1857-C is excessively rare in Uncirculated (there are only two or three known to me and none are better than MS61) and very rare in properly graded AU58. NGC shows a current population of 35 in AU58 but this includes numerous coins that I grade no better than AU50 to AU53, not to mention resubmissions. The present example is quite possibly the single most original 1857-C dollar that I have seen. It is well struck on what seems to be a broader planchet than usual and it shows superb deep, original green-gold color on the obverse and reverse. The peripheries are very flat and there is some mint-made buckling of the planchet which is common to the issue. The surfaces themselves are just immaculate with no marks of note and quite a bit of luster. In the last five years there have been four auction records for AU58's of this date (all graded by NGC) and they have realized between $6,038 and $6,600. None of those coins could remotely compare to this fresh-to-the-market example. I have handled virtually every known 1857-C dollar in higher grades and I can't remember one that I liked as much as this. An extremely important coin for the advanced collector of gold dollars.

1858-S $20.00 NGC AU55

Lustrous with nice light yellow-gold colors that show a tinge of rose on either side. This piece has quite a bit of body remaining and it didn't see a whole lot of circulation. The marks and abrasions on the surfaces appear to be more the results of having spent time loose in a bag with other coins and becoming scuffed as a result. The 1858-S double eagle is a tougher date that doesn't have a large number of higher grade survivors as a result of shipwrecks. In fact, the 1858-S is very rare in Uncirculated and hard to find even in properly graded AU55 to AU58.

1842-O $2.50 PCGS AU50 CAC

In terms of overall rarity, the 1842-O is the third most difficult New Orleans quarter eagle to find after the 1845-O and the 1843-O Large Date. Only 19,800 were struck and survivors number below 150 with most showing heavy circulation. This frosty, original example shows rich green-gold surfaces punctuated by splashes of reddish-gold. There is quite a bit of mint luster present and not that much actual wear. As is so often the case with this date, the strike is somewhat flat at the centers and this has caused PCGS to be a bit conservative on the grade that they have assigned, in my opinion. Amazingly, there have been no PCGS graded AU50 examples of this date sold at auction since the Heritage 3/01: 2257 coin which brought $1,600 a decade ago. This is the only AU50 example of this date to have received CAC approval.

1876-CC $20.00 PCGS AU50 CAC

Semi-prooflike with beautiful deep, rich orange-gold color that is contrasted by darker hues on the highlights. This coin, which is clearly sourced from Europe and which has the lovely Euro look I often mention, has the body and flash of a higher grade but the surfaces are a bit "chattery" as is often the case with examples of this era. It is unusual to see an 1876-CC double eagle that is reflective and it is becoming very hard to find pieces that are as original as this one is. As a date, the 1876-CC is only moderately scarce but it becomes pricey in any grade approaching Uncirculated. A nice example for the collector who is just beginning to take the plunge into the world of CC double eagles.

1850 $5.00 NGC AU55 CAC

With the exception of the 1842 varieties, the 1850 is the scarcest half eagle struck at the Philadelphia mint prior to the Civil War. It is much scarcer than either the 1850-C or 1850-D yet it is priced at a fraction of these two popular branch mint issues. This choice, original example shows nice natural green gold color atop satiny, non-abraded surfaces. There is a small dig on the obverse near the bridge of Liberty's nose that runs up to the area between the fifth and sixth stars. For the price, this is one of the scarcer gold issues from this era that the collector will be able to find.