1823 $5.00 PCGS MS62 CAC

BD-1, High Rarity-4/Low Rarity-5. Struck from the exact same reverse die as the famous and ultra-rare 1822 half eagle. The 1823 is an overlooked date in the Fat Head half eagle series with a surviving population that appears to be as low as 75 coins. It is far rarer than the 1814/3, 1818 or 1820 and it is dozens of times rarer than the "common" 1813. This example is absolutely beautiful for the grade with fully prooflike surfaces that have toned in rich lemon-gold and orange shades. The fields have a few light handling marks but they have the body and appearance of a coin that grades at least a point higher. Here's my take on why this coin is a good value: an MS62 CAC 1813 of this quality is worth around $17,500 and can be found without a great deal of trouble. This 1823 is priced at just a bit more than double the amount but it is a rarity in all grades and it is almost impossible to find in grades above this unlike the 1813 which is reasonably common even in MS63. After the recent Heritage FUN sale, the Fat Head half eagle series is really starting to come into its own. There are still good opportunities in this series, though, and this 1823 is one of them.

1850-D $5.00 NGC AU55

The 1850-D ranks as one of the five scarcest Dahlonega half eagles in terms of its high grade rarity. It is a really hard sisue to find in the upper AU grades, especially with natural color and good eye appeal. This example is one of the few 1850-D half eagles that I have handled in a number of years that is characterized by deep, natural coloration. The obverse and reverse show pleasing even green-gold hues and there is a good deal of dirt visible in the protected areas of the reverse. As on nearly all known 1850-D half eagles, this piece shows a reasonably faint mintmark but it is not a "Weak D" coin as these have nearly no traces of the D.

1862 $1.00 PCGS PR66DCAM CAC

I'd like to think that I'm not overly prone to hyperbole when it comes to describing coins but I'm going to go out on a limb and state that this 1862 Proof dollar is one of the single best looking pieces of Proof gold that I have seen in years. It has remarkably strong contrast between the devices and the fields and it has clearly never been dipped or processed as have most Proof gold coins. A careful look at the surfaces with a 5x glass shows virtually no marks and a total absence of hairlines. A total of 35 Proof gold dollars were struck in 1862. Some were not sold and others were later impaired. All told, there at most fifteen known of which maybe four or five are Gems. The present example is clearly the second finest, trailing only the Eliasberg: 50 coin which was later sold as Scotsman 10/08: 790 (and graded PR67 Ultra Cameo * by NGC) where it brought a record $51,750. Proof gold coins of this quality, regardless of date or denomination, are almost never available and the fact that this amazing piece is a rare issue and a Civil War date makes it especially desirable.

1858 $1.00 NGC PR66UCAM

The U.S. Mint began selling Proof coins directly to the public in 1858 and this proved to be quite popular. The exact mintage figure for Proof 1858 gold coinage is not recorded but it is thought that the number of dollars struck was somewhere in the range of 30-40. Around half of these are known today and most of the survivors grade in the PR64 to PR65 range and are characterized by planchet problems and lintmarks. The present example is the second finest known 1858 Proof gold dollar that I am aware of, trailing only Stacks 11/09: 1778, graded PR67 Ultra Cameo by NGC, that sold for a rousing $92,000. The present example is superb with stark black and white contrast and lovely natural yellow-gold coloration. The surfaces are fully reflective and lack any marks which might serve as identification. At the recent FUN show I was able to view a PCGS PR66 Cameo example of this date which was a lovely coin but, in my opinion, technically inferior to this piece. It was priced at $52,000. Here is one of the few pre-1860 Proof gold coins that can be purchased in superb gem for under $50,000 and it would make a wonderful addition to an advanced set of proof U.S. gold coins.

1871 $1.00 PCGS PR65DCAM CAC

Only 30 Proofs struck. It has been suggested that as many as ten Proofs were unsold and later melted at the U.S. Mint; this would help to explain the great rarity of this issue in Proof. My best estimate is that there are only eight or nine known and just three of these qualify as Gems by today's standards. The present example is the second finest known Proof 1871 gold dollar, trailing only the superb NGC PR67 Ultra Cameo that last traded as ANR 8/04: 921 where it brought $42,550. The present example is one of only two known with full black and white contrast and it clearly deserves its Deep Cameo designation by PCGS. There is really nothing to identify this coin other than a small mint-made obverse lintmark below the F in OF. Here is a coin that combines great rarity with great beauty and it presents the collector with an opportunity that may not be repeated again for many years.

1890-CC $20.00 NGC AU50

Most examples of this date are extremely abraded and this piece, with its nice natural color, is far cleaner than usual. The cosmetic appeal and affordability of this 1890-CC double eagle makes it a perfect coin for the new collector who wants a pleasing piece for less than $3,000.

1845-O $5.00 NGC AU58 CAC

The 1845-O half eagle is most similar in rarity to the 1846-O. It has an original mintage figure of 41,000 and of the few hundred known, most are in the VF-EF range. It is a scarce date in AU55, a rare one in AU58 and a very rare one in Uncirculated with around six or seven known. This piece is bright and lustrous with some pale reddish toning forming on the obverse border and across the reverse. There is just a small amount of wear seen on the high spots and minor scuffs in the fields. There hasn't been a non-shipwreck example of this date in AU58 sold at auction since May 2008 and it is a good value as an Uncirculated example, if available, would sell for at least double the amount of a slider. CAC has approved four 1845-O half eagles in AU58 with just two finer.

1864 $5.00 NGC AU58 CAC

The Civil War half eagles from 1862 to 1865 are all very rare due to low original mintage figures and heavy melting. The 1864 is no exception and there are probably no more than 50-75 survivors from the original mintage of 4,170 business strikes. This date is seldom available for sale and when it is, it tends to be in lower grades and with heavy abrasions that lead to poor eye appeal. This example is one of the two best that I have seen in the past five years, along with Heritage 9/11: 4316, graded AU55 by PCGS, that sold for $9,200. It it slightly prooflike with some frost in the fields and nice light orange-gold color that deepens to rose at the borders. The fields are a bit scuffy but not nearly as much as is typical for the date. There is a small amount of wear on the high spots and the overall eye appeal is above average for the date. The two most recent APRs for AU58 1864 half eagles (both are NGC graded) are $7,475; one for Heritage 3/09: 2954 and the other for Heritage 2006 ANA: 1874. The present example is a nicer coin and the market for rare, low mintage half eagles is clearly better now than it was a few years back. An exciting coin for the specialist.

This is the only example of this date in AU58 that has been approved by CAC. None graded higher have been approved.

1864 $1.00 PCGS MS67 CAC

A total of 5,900 business strike gold dollars were coined in 1864. Around 2-3% of the original mintage survives today and many of these come from overseas sources where they were shipped during the Civil War to pay foreign creditors. This particular example is among the finest known and has the sort of color and appearance that are suggestive that it may have come from the Virgil Brand estate. Both sides show dramatic rose, orange and yellow hues in a swirling configuration. The strike is bold and the surfaces are very clean. Some light clashmarks can be seen on the obverse and the central reverse displays a few very minor ticks. CAC has approved just this one 1864 gold dollar in MS67 with a single coin better; a PCGS MS68 that sold for $27,600 as Heritage 8/11: 7412. Here is a coin that has it all: superb appearance, real numismatic rarity and historic significance due to its Civil War date.