1872 $3.00 PCGS MS61

Only 2,000 business strike 1872 Three Dollar gold pieces were struck and, unlike some of the low mintage dates from the next decade, this date saw circulation and was not hoarded by speculators. There are fewer known in Uncirculated than the population figures at NGC and PCGS would suggest and this is compounded by the fact that some of the examples graded MS60 to MS62 are questionable as to their "newness." This piece, which is sem-prooflike and very appealing, is free of any rub or wear and it would grade at least a point higher were it not for a small old scrape below the left side of the first S in STATES. The surfaces show a nice light rose and orange-gold patina and the reverse is very choice with especially clean fields. I have always believed that this is one of the most undervalued dates in the entire Three Dollar series and it is not easy to find much nicer than the present example.

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 nearly 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.

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.

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.

1844-O $5.00 PCGS MS61

Bass Collection Pedigree Let's say that you are a type collector and you want a nice No Motto half eagle from the New Orleans mint in Uncirculated. You really don't have alot of choices as only one date--the 1844-O--is relatively obtainable in Uncirculated. And if your budget is around $5,000 for a nice coin, than this piece is exactly what you are looking for. This piece is housed in an older holder and it has remained untouched since it was sold at the Bass IV sale in 2000. It is solid for the grade with nice light yellow-gold color and great luster. The strike is a bit weak at the centers and there are a few marks at the eleventh and twelfth stars but you aren't going to find a nicer 1844-O in an MS61 holder. Legitimately Uncirculated examples of this date are not that easy to find and this coin with its good eye apeal and great pedigree would make a great addition to any advanced set of New Orleans half eagles.

Ex Bass IV: 392 (Bowers and Merena 11/10) where it sold for $3,910

1867-S $2.50 PCGS MS61

The 1867-S is not an especially scarce date in circulated grades although it isn't easy to locate in properly graded AU55 to AU58. In Uncirculated, this date is actually quite rare with probably no more than a dozen or so known. The finest is a PCGS MS64 that is ex B+M 6/01: 1214 (where it sold very reasonably at $12,650) and the next finest is Bass II:555, graded MS63 by PCGS, that brought $9,487. Many of the examples that I have seen in MS61 holders are pretty marginal but this example is really choice and fully "new" with no wear on the high spots and no significant luster breaks. It is original and uncleaned with nice rich golden-orange color with a darker toned area below the bun and across the reverse border. There are some scattered marks in the fields that merit the grade assigned by PCGS but this piece has a nice, fresh appearance and it is clearly high end for the grade. Besides this coin, the last PCGS MS61 to sell at auction was Heritage 3/07: 2665 that brought $4,704. Choice, attractive, rare and a great value at this level.

1842-C Large Date $5.00 PCGS MS61 CAC

Large Date variety. The 1842-C half eagles is known with a Large Date and Small Date variety. The former is more available and this adds date pressure as many collectors of high grade Charlotte fives do not want to spend $100k or more on an Uncirculated Small Date. The 1842-C Large Date is rare in Uncirculated with an estimated dozen or so known, including at least three or four coins in the MS64 to MS65 range. This semi-prooflike example has uncommonly good eye appeal for the grade with light yellow-gold centers framed by rich orange-gold at the borders. The strike is quite sharp for the variety and there are just a few marks seen on the obverse, noticeably clustered on the lower portion of the cheek. This coin has a freshness about it that you do not see on many high grade Charlotte half eagles any more and it would be a great coin for the collector who wants a single choice early date issue for a type set.

1869-S $2.50 NGC MS61

This is a nice, fully "new" example of a date that is seldom found in higher grades. I doubt if more than ten to fifteen are known in Uncirculated with most in the MS60 to MS62 range. The nicest thing about this coin is its color with a band of rich reddish-gold at the obverse border and outlining the details on the reverse. A few small marks limit the grade but this piece is really attractive. The SF quarter eagles from this era are very undervalued and offer the collector with a challenging but not overly expensive area.

1843-O Large Date $2.50 PCGS MS61 CAC

The 1843-O Large Date is one of the scarcer New Orleans quarter eagles in Uncirculated. There are probably fewer than ten known in properly graded Uncirculated and I have never seen an example that I felt graded higher than MS62 to MS63. The present piece is solidly within the Condition Census and it is unusual in that it displays reflective surfaces instead of the usual thick, frosty luster. There is some mint-made roughness in the planchet as made and the color is a rich, even orange-gold hue with a small spot on the reverse above the left side of the E in STATES. There have been just two auction sales for a PCGS MS61 in the last few years. The first was Heritage 10/11: 4654 at $9,200 while the second was Stack's Bowers 2011 ANA: 7610 which was bid up to $8,625. CAC has approved three in this grade with another two finer.