1880-O $10.00 NGC AU58

Lightly worn and very lustrous with bright yellow-gold color that has some moderate orange-gold accents. There is some minor friction seen on the obverse while the reverse is not only free of wear but it grades at least MS61 to MS62 on its own and is spectacular. For many years, the 1880-O was a true sleeper in the eagle series and I touted how undervalued it was. Collectors finally began to listen to me and prices have risen but still not to the point that this date's true rarity merits. There were just 9,200 examples struck and unlike the New Orleans eagles from the 1890's, the 1880-O actually saw circulation. Today, it is extremely rare in Uncirculated and rare in properly graded AU55 to AU58. I saw two other AU58 examples of this date at the recent FUN show. One was an extremely low end coin for the grade which was priced to me at $5,000 while the other was a nice crusty "Euro" coin priced at a strong $5,500. This choice, lustrous piece is a good value for the O Mint eagle collector.

1857-C $1.00 PCGS AU55 CAC

Last month I sold a beautiful NGC AU58 CAC example of this date and commented that it had been years since I'd handled an example of this date with totally original surfaces. I was surprised that at the FUN show I was able to find a second unadulterated 1857-C dollar, this one graded AU55 by PCGS and nearly as nice as the one I just sold. It shows the typical irregular planchet seen on nearly all examples with some natural roughness on the edges but the strike is as sharp as on any example I have seen with a full N in UNITED and a sharp 8 in the date. The surfaces are covered with deep green-gold color with some darker hues in the obverse fields. A good amount of luster can be seen as well. In the last five years there have been exactly two PCGS AU55 examples of this date sold at auction: Heritage 1/08: 3684 which brought $6,900 (it was in an old green label holder and it was an AU58 in my opinion) and Heritage 1/07: 5327 which realized $4,083 (it was nice but not as choice as the present example). There are probably fewer than ten 1857-C dollars known that are fully original and this is a rare opportunity for the informed specialist.

1859-S $20.00 NGC AU50 CAC

Choice and high end for the grade with deep natural orange-gold and reddish hues that are contrasted by darker hues on the rims. A small reeding mark on the hair keeps this coin from grading AU53 to AU55. The 1859-S double eagle is a reasonably obtainable issue in this grade but it is hard to find with natural color and without deep, detracting abrasions.

1890-CC $20.00 NGC AU58 CAC

If you were going to select an issue that would make the best Type Three type coin from the CC mint, the 1890-CC would be a great candidate. It isn't scarce but it isn't the most common date either. It tends to be better made than other dates from this era and it has nice color on the few occasions it is found with natural unadulterated surfaces. This lustrous slider is semi-reflective with pleasing rich orange-gold color that is contrasted by deeper highlights. There are a few scrapes seen on the fields and the neck of Liberty but the amount of actual wear is very slight. An MS61 example of this date that is CAC-quality will cost you at least $10,000-11,000 and I'd rather save the amount you'd spend on this AU58 and use it to buy another coin as well.

CAC has approved fourteen examples in AU58 with a dozen higher than this.

1834 Plain 4 $5.00 NGC AU58 CAC

Classic Head. I always try to buy a nice Choice AU Classic Head half eagle or two at every major coin show I attend and at this year's edition of the FUN show, I purchased this example. This lustrous slider is instantly recognizable by a swatch of coppery-gold color on the obverse border from 3:00 to 6:00. It is lightly worn and frosty with some light scuffing in the fields but no real wear on the relief details. As is typical for the date, the central details are not fully defined but the overall strike is better than expected for the issue. I've said this before but it bears repeating: I am constantly amazed that you can purchase a nice quality half eagle from the mid-1830's for under $2,500. Buy this coin for a type set or, better yet, make it your first coin in a date run of Classic Head half eagles from 1834 through 1838.

1861-S $20.00 PCGS AU55

Old Green Label Holder. Housed in an old PCGS holder and very choice for the grade but not quite, in my opinion, an AU58 by today's standards. This piece is probably from a European source as it exhibits rich natural orange-gold color with some darker highlights. A small semi-circular scrape below stars four through six keeps this coin from grading higher but it is choice, frosty and original. The 1861-S is a scarce Civil War date that dramatically increases in value as it climbs up the grading scale.

1851 $5.00 PCGS MS61 CAC

While very common in circulated grades, the 1851 half eagle is quite scarce in Uncirculated and really rare in MS62 and above. Unlike any other MS61 example of this date that I have seen, this example is very fresh and flashy with great frosty luster and nice natural medium green-gold color. A few light scuffs in the left obverse field narrowly remove this from a grade of at least MS62. This is one of just two MS61 examples of this date that have been approved by CAC with two finer. An affordable yet impressive No Motto type coin and a great value at less than three thousand dollars.
br> Ex Heritage 1/09: 5413 where it sold for $2,760.

1860 $20.00 PCGS AU58

The 1860 double eagle sells for a reasonably small premium over the 1861 in this grade yet it is many times more scarce. And, relative scarcity aside, this "super slider" is as nice an AU58 Type One double eagle as you are going to find with great luster, lovely natural rose and orange-gold color and very pleasing surfaces which are far less abraded than normal for this issue. In fact, this piece has much better eye appeal than many Type One double eagles that are graded MS60 and MS61. A small grease stain on the reverse, located below the right scroll end, is mentioned for the sake of accuracy.

1842-O $5.00 NGC EF40

While not all that widely known, the 1842-O is the second scarcest half eagle from this mint (after the 1847-O) and it is actually rarer than virtually any half eagle from Charlotte or Dahlonega in terms of the total number of coins known to exist. This piece has the "right" color for the date with a deep lime-green hue seen on the obverse and reverse. The surfaces are clean and the wear, while fairly extensive on both sides, is even and acceptable for the grade. The last 1842-O half eagle in EF40 to sell at auction was the Stacks 1/07: 5115 coin (graded by NGC) that sold for $5,500 and before this the ANR 3/05: 691 example (graded by PCGS) sold for $3,680. Very rare, very undervalued and very nice.