1859 $3.00 PCGS MS63 CAC

Let's say that you want a nice PCGS MS63 Three Dollar gold piece for your type set. You can buy a common date like an 1874 or an 1878 in this grade for around $5,000-5,500. Or you can spend an additional few thousand dollars and buy a coin that is genuinely scarce in this grade. To me, that's what makes this choice 1859 three dollar such an appealing coin. It is totally original and very high end for the grade with rich luster that is dusted with pale green-gold and rose shades. There are a few ticks in the left field and at the central reverse but the naked-eye appearance rivals coins of this date that I have seen in MS64. The 1859 is scarce in MS63, rare in MS64 and virtually unavailable in Gem. The last PCGS MS63 to sell at auction was Heritage 12/11: 4505 that brought $7,763.

1846-D/D $5.00 PCGS MS61 CAC

D over D mintmark variety. 1846-D half eagles are known with a normal mintmark and a spectacular D over D that ranks as one of the great mintmark blunders of the era. The 1846-D/D is the more available of the two and there are around ten or so known in Uncirculated grades. This example is well struck and very frosty with lovely light green-gold and yellowish colors on the obverse and reverse. There are a few small ticks in the fields and a shallow planchet void on Liberty's face that is hard to see without light magnification. The last PCGS MS61 example of this variety to sell at auction was Goldberg 5/08: 4668, at $10,350, which was not approved by CAC and which, in my opinion, was far inferior to the present coin. This is an excellent opportunity for the advanced collector to obtain a Condition Census example of one of the neatest varieties ever produced at a branch mint.

This is the only 1846-D/D half eagle in any Uncirculated grade to have been approved by CAC.

1862-S $2.50 PCGS AU58

i just purchased the finest known example of this date, a PCGS MS63+, for $43,700 at the recent Goldberg 2/12 sale of the Helem collection. The present example, while obviously not in the same league, is still far, far above-average for the date and grade. Not to mention the fact that it is around one sixth of the price (!) The 1862-S is among the rarest SF quarter eagles in all grades and it is extremely rare in Uncirculated with just two or three known. I am aware of maybe four or five properly graded AU58's of which this example is among the nicest. It is well struck, lightly worn and lustrous with just a few small marks seen on the obverse. It is likely that this coin never saw actual circulation and the reason that it grades "58" is due to some handling and light rubbing on the high spots. Coins like this seem undervalued to me in comparison to the C and D mint quarter eagles from the 1850's.

1861 $10.00 NGC MS61

While common in all circulated grades, the 1861 is scarce in Uncirculated and very rare in MS62 and above. It is the only Civil War eagle that is even remotely a possibility for the collector to obtain in Uncirculated and I believe that the population figures for MS60 to MS62 coins are way inflated, giving a false sense of availability for an issue that is actually quite rare and seldom offered for sale at auction or private treaty. This example is choice and fresh with excellent frosty luster below natural light orange-gold color. There are enough small, scattered marks on the obverse and reverse to limit the grade but this is a truly attractive example with good eye appeal.

1839/8 $10.00 PCGS EF45

In 1838 and 1839, the first variety of the Liberty Head eagle was produced. It is easy to spot with a curved neckline on the portrait and the tip of the tiara very close to the sixth star on the obverse. The 1839/8 is the more available of the two issues but its status as a distinct type make it very popular with collectors. This dirty example has rich yellow gold undertones below russet highlights on the obverse and the reverse. This date saw intense circulation in local commerce and this coin is not an exception as it has a number of abrasions that indicate being used. But there is good detail and a significant amount of mint luster shows on both sides. This date becomes expensive in the AU grades so for many collectors, a nice PCGS EF40 to EF45 example is ideal for their gold coin type set.

1883 $1.00 NGC PR64 Cameo CAC

A total of 207 were Proof gold dollars were minted in 1883. Based on the PCGS and NGC population data, I'd guess that as few as 50-60 are known with most of these in the PR64 to PR66 range. This example has incredible eye appeal for the grade with the naked eye appearance of a coin that grades at least a point or two higher. There is a small mint-made lintmark right at the tip of the bust that NGC must have felt limited the grade but there are a virtual absence of hairlines or friction on the cheek that you typically see on Proof coins of this era graded 64. In my opinion, a coin like this is simply outstanding value as it is one of the few legitimately scarce pieces of Proof gold you can buy in this price range that is not terribly impaired or relatively common. This is the only 1883 gold dollar in PR64 to have been approved by CAC; three finer examples have been approved as well.

1843 $2.50 NGC MS62 CAC

The 1843 is an enigmatic date in the early Liberty Head quarter eagle series. It has a high mintage figure of 100,546 but it is comparable in rarity to dates such as the 1846 and 1847 which were struck in much lower quantities. The 1843 is a very scarce issue in Uncirculated but, like so many of the quarter eagles from the 1840's, it is undervalued. This butter-yellow example is fully struck and shows nice luster. There is an area of friction in the left obverse field that limits the grade but the overall appearance is very nice for an MS62. The last NGC MS62 example to sell at auction was Heritage 2/11: 4331 that brought $3,594; the present example is clearly superior in my opinion.

1877 $2.50 PCGS MS63 CAC

Even if you have no interest in purchasing this coin, click on the photo icon and take a long glimpse at its appearance: it has the "look" that I find more appealing than on any other gold coin. The luster is very intense with a hybrid appearance that combines rich frostiness with flashy reflective luster. This excellent appearance is compounded by superb natural medium yellow-gold color that shades towards rose and green hues as the coin tilts towards a light source. The obverse is a virtual Gem in appearance; the reverse shows a few very hard-to-find marks at TE in STATES. The 1877 is a rare, low mintage issue with just 1,652 struck. It is a bit less rare overall than this tiny figure would suggest but it is rare in Uncirculated and very rare in MS65 or higher. There are no Gems known and maybe three exist in MS64 with the last one, Heritage 10/11: 4731 (graded by NGC and approved by CAC) having been purchased by me for $14,950. No PCGS MS63 1877 quarter eagles have sold at auction since October 1999 when Bass II: 593 brought $8,740. A great coin that combines beauty, rarity and eye appeal in one neat package.

1845-D $5.00 PCGS EF40 CAC

This problem-free, evenly worn example features dramatic natural reddish-gold color on the obverse and the reverse. This color is not quite dramatic enough to suggest that the coin was stored in a leather pouch but the depth of the color is unusual and the subsequent eye appeal is off the charts for a coin graded EF40.