1882 $2.50 NGC MS62+

Only 4,000 business strikes were produced and this issue is scarce and undervalued in all grades. This is a beautiful example for the grade with the body and eye appeal of coins that I have seen in MS63 or even MS64 holders. It is totally original with nice light green-gold color and thick, satiny luster on the obverse and reverse. If you want to collect a challenging set with good potential upside, you might consider the quarter eagles from 1880 to 1890. This period includes many challenging, low mintage dates which can generally be found in the lower Uncirculated grades for $2,500-5,000. This 1882 is good value as an MS63, which isn't likely to be significantly nicer than this, will cost you around $3,000 if you can find one.

1869 $1.00 NGC MS63

Only 5,900 business strikes were made and this issue tended to circulate unlike the low mintages Gold Dollars from the 1880's which were hoarded. This bright, lustrous piece has a great appearance and a few light handling marks on the obverse narrowly remove it from a higher grade. Only six MS63 pieces have sold at auction since June 2005. In my opinion, coins like this at under $2,000 are excellent value in today's market.

1851-D $5.00 PCGS AU53 CAC

Sharp Mintmark variety. The 1851-D is one of the rarer half eagles from this mint in terms of overall and high grade rarity. It is almost never seen in AU grades with a sharp mintmark and I doubt if more than ten are known that have natural color and surfaces. In fact, the last PCGS AU53 with a strong mintmark to be offered for sale was Bass III: 434 which brought $3,680 all the way back in May 2000. This piece has lovely deep natural green gold color with some dirt visible in the protected areas of the lettering. As with all known examples of this die pair (Variety 25-Q) there is weakness noted at the centers. This is the first really nice example of this date that I have seen or sold in many years and I regard it is being highly undervalued. This is the only AU53 1851-D half eagle to have received CAC approval and only one finer example of this date has been stickered by this service.

1842-D Small Date $5.00 PCGS EF45 CAC

Let's say you want a Dahlonega half eagle and you have a budget of around $3,000. You can buy a washed-out boring 1853-D for around $2,250. Or you can spring for a few hundred dollars more and buy a coin like this that is both a scarcer date and choice and original. Or, as we at DWN like to say, a "coin with character." This is a very choice piece with deep natural green-gold color and nice surfaces. Some lightness of strike around the borders is noted and this is not uncommon for the issue. CAC has approved just four in this grade with one finer. A tough date to find with nice color and surfaces.

1882-CC $5.00 NGC AU55

The 1882-C is the most available Carson City half eagle made prior to 1890 and this makes it a great type coin for the collector seeking an affordable but interesting date. This example is choice and original with plenty of luster seen below nice natural russet-gold color. As is the case with original examples of this date, this piece has a slightly grainy texture which I find very appealing. Some dirt can be seen on the reverse and this attests to this coin's originality.

1880-CC $5.00 NGC AU58 CAC

This is exactly the sort of coin that I like: a bright, intensely lustrous slider that has more eye appeal than just about any example of this date that you are likely to find in an MS61 holder. But the real beauty of this coin is its high degree of value: an MS61 is going to cost you $11,000-13,000. And the 1880-CC half eagle, while a scarce and desirable issue, is really not a coin that I would suggest spending five figures on unless you are compelled to build a Condition Census level quality set of CC half eagles. This coin probably saw no real circulation but it has a slight amount of friction on the high spots. It is well struck and very lustrous with light rose overtones atop choice surfaces. As is the case with this date, it is extremely well struck on both the obverse and reverse. A great type coin for the collector who wants to own one high quality pre-1890 half eagle from this mint.

1851-O $20.00 PCGS EF40

When this coin walked up to my table at the FUN show, my first reaction was "there will be at least five people who order it within the first few hours it's posted." Not only is this a clean, evenly worn example with a great naked-eye appearance, it has a "surprise" feature which I only discovered as I tilted it towards a light source. Outlining the devices are intense iridescent purple-blue flashes which could well be the result of this coin having been stored in a leather pouch or old coin album. This helps to give it a "circulated cameo" appearance that is both novel and very fetching. This is one of only two affordable New Orleans double eagles and locating a more attractive 1851-O for less than $5,000 might be just about impossible.

1855-S $3.00 PCGS EF40 CAC

There were just 6,600 examples struck and this is a numismatically significant issue as the first San Francisco issue of this denomination. The 1855-S is the rarest of the four available San Francisco Three Dollar gold pieces and it is seldom seen in affordable collector grades, especially with natural color and surfaces. This choice, fresh example shows lovely deep natural amber-russet color atop smooth, evenly worn surfaces. There are a few small marks in front of the O in OF but the overall eye appeal of this coin is far above average for the date and grade. This is one of just two examples of this date in EF40 to have ever received approval from CAC (six finer have been recorded as well). The other example, ex Heritage 4/10: 3557, sold for $2,645. I bought that coin out of the aforementioned sale and I think the present example is nicer. This is a great historic branch mint piece for the new collector.

1880-CC $10.00 NGC AU58 CAC

Beginning with this issue, Carson City eagles become more available and there are over 200 examples of this date known. That said, the 1880-CC is scarce in properly graded AU55 to AU58 and very rare in full Mint State. This frosty slider has nearly full luster and it shows nice central rose color that deepens to a fiery orange-gold about the border. There are some marks noted in the fields but there is just the slightest amount of wear. It is my opinion that this issue is a good value in AU58 as an Uncirculated coin is worth at least $15,000-20,000; if you can even find one. The last auction trade for an NGC AU58 was Heritage 1/11: 7288 that brought a strong $6,900. This example is one of five 1880-CC eagles approved by CAC with just one finer (a PCGS MS61 in a private collection that sold for nearly $50,000 a few years ago). A good addition to a high quality date set of Carson City eagles.