1863 $1.00 NGC MS62

After the low mintage 1875, the 1863 is the rarest gold dollar from the Philadelphia mint. While the original mintage figure is a not-especially eye-catching 6,200 business strikes, this date was not saved and the total number known is probably less than 100 in all grades. There are a few Gems known but lower grade Mint State pieces are almost never offered for sale, as evidenced by the fact that there are just three examples in this grade that have appeared at auction since 1999. The last MS62 to sell was Stacks Bowers 11/11: 9165 (encapsulated by PCGS) that brought $7,331. The present example is pleasing with light yellow-gold color that deepens a bit towards the border. There are a few scuffs in the fields that are consistent with the grade. Civil War gold is currently very popular with collectors and as more people begin to collect these issues, they learn that many are really rare in higher grades. An important opportunity for a variety of potential buyers.

1879 $20.00 PCGS MS62 CAC

As with its San Francisco counterpart of this year, the 1879 Philadelphia double eagle is a date that is very scarce in properly graded MS62 and very rare in MS63. I doubt if more than a dozen properly graded MS63's are known (and this number might actually be on the high side) and the last two examples that have traded (both encapsulated by PCGS) brought $17,250 in the Stack's Bowers 11/11 auction. The present example is one of the nicest MS62 1879 double eagles known and it is one of only two approved by CAC in this grade with just one finer. It is frosty and original with nice light orange-gold and rose color atop surprisingly clean surfaces. The 1879-P is an issue that tends to come with excessive abrasions and this piece has just a few small marks clustered in the left obverse field. At around one-third the price of an MS63 example, this 1879 double eagle seems like exceptional value to me.

1852-D $2.50 PCGS AU50 CAC

This low mintage issue (4,078 struck) is one of the harder Dahlonega quarter eagles to find with unmolested surfaces and deep original color. The present example, which is completely fresh-to-the-market is one of the very few 1852-D quarter eagles that I have seen that has absolutely never been cleaned or dipped. It is well struck and well made with lovely deep green-gold color and plenty of dirt in the recesses. I think this coin is clearly superior to most of the examples of this date that I have seen in AU55 holders and I doubt if there are more than a half dozen known (of this date) that show this degree of originality. Dahlonega quarter eagles of this quality are almost never offered for sale and this 1852-D is destined for a very high quality date set. This is the only 1852-D in AU50 approved by CAC with just one example (an NGC MS62) better.

1856-S $20.00 NGC AU58

This date is usually seen with seawater surfaces and original examples are not that easy to locate. This piece is clearly not from the S.S. Central America hoard as it shows natural frosty luster. It has no real wear; just light friction on the high spots of the obverse. I recently wholesaled an MS61 example of the 1856-S double eagle that, in my opinion, was inferior to the present piece for $6,500.

1848-D $5.00 NGC AU55

The unheralded 1848-D is actually one of the scarcer half eagles from this mint and it is extremely hard to find with both original color and a sharp strike. This piece is really well struck with full definition at the centers and borders. Both the obverse and the reverse have nice natural green-gold color with splashes of russet in the reverse fields. There are a few small marks in the obverse fields and on the cheek of Liberty but this is among the better examples of this date that I have offered for sale in the last few years. Whenever I put together a nice set of EF-AU Dahlonega half eagles for a collector, the 1848-D is amongst the last coins that I am able to locate.

1859-S $1.00 NGC AU58 CAC

Only 15,000 were struck and this date is scarce and undervalued in AU55 and above. This lustrous "slider" has considerable luster below appealing even yellow-gold color. There is just a bit of friction seen on the cheek of Liberty and in the obverse fields. In my opinion, you'd be hard-pressed to find a coin that was a better value than this in the $2,000-2,500 range. CAC has approved five 1859-S gold dollars in AU58 and none finer.

1847-C $2.50 NGC AU55

The 1847-C is by far the most available quarter eagle from this mint but it is not an easy coin to find with natural color and surfaces. This example has lovely deep natural green-gold color on both the obverse and reverse and it is extremely well struck with full details at the centers and borders. There is dirt encrusted in the recesses and the appearance of this coin strongly suggests that it has never been cleaned or dipped. With really low end EF examples of this date selling in the $1,750-2,000 range, it seems to me that paying less than $3,000 for a really choice AU is absurdly good value. A perfect piece for the type collector who wants a single nice quarter eagle from the Charlotte mint.

1867 $20.00 PCGS MS60 CAC

A few decades ago, a small hoard of Uncirculated 1867 double eagles was uncovered. These coins are easy to spot as they tend to have great color and luster and plenty of abrasions from rough handling when shipped loose in bags. The present example is clearly from this hoard but it is less abraded than most and it shows lovely rich orange-gold color with tinges of underlying green and rose. I have seen a number of comparable 1867 double eagles graded MS61 by both services and this is a great type example for the collector who wants a better date Type Two double eagle for inclusion in his set of U.S. gold coins.

1860-S $1.00 NGC MS63 CAC

The short-lived San Francisco gold dollars are a neat, highly collectable set. All of these issues (with the exception of the ultra-popular 1856-S) are extremely scarce and very undervalued in Uncirculated. The 1860-S is certainly no exception and there were only 13,000 pieces originally minted. Most survivors are in the EF45 to AU55 range and in Uncirculated this date is very scarce. I have only seen one Gem (a PCGS MS65 that sold for $21,850 in the ANR 1/06 auction) and no more than two or three accurately graded MS64 coins. The present example is one of the few 1860-S dollars in Uncirculated with natural color and surfaces. It shows nice medium to deep green-gold and pale orange hues with satiny, unmolested underlying luster. There are no marks of note and the strike is excellent with the detail and appearance of a P mint dollar as opposed to one from the San Francisco mint. Excellent value for the savvy collector and a really nice example of the second-to-last gold dollar from this facility.