1807 $2.50 PCGS EF45 CAC

BD-1, R-3. The 1807 is the most available early quarter eagle with an estimated 250-300 known to exist in all grades from the original mintage of 6,812. It is usually seen in the AU50 to MS62 range which makes it a date (and a type) that is priced out of the range of many collectors. In problem-free EF45, the 1807 is seen even less frequently than its low population figures would suggest (can you say "regrades??") and this is verifiable by the fact that no PCGS EF45 has sold at auction since Heritage 2/03: 8094. This example has warm sunset gold color at the borders which frames green-gold centers; a dab of reddish color can be seen at the central reverse. For the grade, there is a good amount of luster and the surfaces are free of severe abrasions, adjustment marks or imperfections. I think this coin is much closer to AU50 than EF45 (I tried a number of times to upgrade it) and you would be hard-pressed to find another Capped Bust Right quarter eagle in this grade and price range with as much eye appeal as this piece.

1874-CC $20.00 NGC AU53 CAC

Until a few years ago, this was a misunderstood date that was thought to be reasonably common. We now know that the 1874-CC is scarce in all AU grades and rare in Uncirculated with anything over MS60 to MS61 being virtually unobtainable. This example has the body and appearance of an AU55 to an AU58 but it has just a few too many small, shallow nicks to be graded as such. It will make an excellent date representative for most collectors of CC double eagles.

CAC has approved four 1874-CC double eagles in AU53 with twelve finer.

1890 $20.00 PCGS MS62

Along with the 1889, the 1890 is a sleeper date in the Type Three series that is scarce in properly graded MS62 and rare in MS63 and above. This lustrous example shows the usual amount of abrasions for the grade but it has natural orange-gold and rose shadings that give it very good overall eye appeal. In MS63, Trends jumps to $13,500 and a solid PCGS MS63 example will cost you around $9,000 to $11,000 depending on quality.

1881-CC $5.00 PCGS EF45 CAC

The 1881-CC is, by a large margin, the rarest Carson City half eagle produced after 1878. There were only 13,886 struck and this issue saw extensive local use in commerce, meaning that survivors tend to be both well-worn. This Choice EF example has great eye appeal for the date and grade with nice medium orange-gold color over clean, vibrant surfaces. There have been no PCGS EF45 examples sold at auction since the Goldberg 6/04: 2512 (that's eight years if you are keeping score at home...) and I think the 1881-CC remains a very undervalued issue in the Carson City half eagle series.

CAC has approved just this one example in EF45 with five better.

1847-C $5.00 PCGS EF40

This coin is so crusty that if it were raw, I would handle it only with rubber gloves...it's that dirty! There is dirt, in fact, all over the obverse and reverse recesses and this nicely contrasts with the deep, natural green-gold color. You can spend around two thousand dollars on a processed EF40 with no character or you can pay a few hundred dollars more and own a piece that is unmolested and as nasty as all get out...your choice.

1798 Large 8, 13 Stars Reverse $5.00 PCGS EF45

BD-5, High Rarity-5. Die State C with a massive terminal crack on the obverse that starts at the rim above star seven, runs through the entire length of the portrait and through the 8 in the date and ends at the rim at 5:00. The 1798 is the most affordable half eagle from the 18th century and this makes it extremely popular with collectors. There are a host of varieties and it is among the most fascinating early gold issues in my opinion. This is an extremely choice example for the grade with good detail and attractive rich reddish color on the obverse and reverse. The central reverse is weak as always seen on the late die state of this variety; when you look at how massive the aforementioned obverse crack is, you will understand why there is not much detail at the central reverse. I think PCGS was spot-on in assigning this coin an EF45 grade but it is much nicer than most 1798 half eagles in 45 holders. The last APR for a PCGS EF45 was in Heritage 2004 ANA sale and the last I saw, in the inventory of a knowledgeable Southern dealer, was not as nice and priced to me at $13,500. Coins like this are in great demand and once this is sold, who knows when another will become available?

1876 $1.00 NGC MS64+ CAC

This popular Centennial year issue has an original mintage of only 3,200 business strikes. It is a scarce coin in this grade yet it remains affordable. This particular example has the look of a Gem but there are a few very light scuffs on the obverse that are hard to see without magnification.

As of June 2012, this is the only MS64+ example of this date graded by NGC.

1803/2 $5.00 PCGS MS63+ CAC

BD-4, Rarity-4. I am not always a fan of the plus grade system that both PCGS and NGC employ but in this case I feel that this coin totally deserves some sort of special recognition as it is clearly better than the average MS63 example. The obverse and reverse show a deep, unmolested yellow-gold hue with rich frosty luster and great eye appeal. The strike is sharp and the surfaces are free of all but the smallest ticks in the obverse fields. There are a few adjustment marks on the reverse but this is the sort of early gold coin that is almost never seen any more and it seems as original an example of this type as one could hope for. The last PCGS MS64 1803/2 half eagle to sell at auction was Heritage 1/12: 4850 and this coin, which was also approved by CAC, brought a hefty $57,500. I honestly don't think you could see $25,000 worth of difference between that coin and the one offered here and, to my eyes, the current piece has as much overall eye appeal. A wonderful Bust Right half eagle for the advanced early gold collector and one of the freshest, most attractive example of this specific date that I can recall having seen.

As of June 2012, this is the only MS63+ example of this date graded by PCGS.

1847-C $5.00 NGC AU58 CAC

This is a simply stunning Charlotte half eagle with deep, even green-gold color on the obverse and reverse offering strong proof that this piece is totally original. As is typical for the issue, this piece is well struck with great detail and this makes the 1847-C half eagle a great date to select as a type coin for this denomination and mint. The surfaces are nearly free of marks and there is a considerable amount of luster visible below the deep coloration. As a date, the 1847-C is one of the more common Charlotte half eagles but it is very scarce in properly graded AU55 to AU58 and very rare in full Uncirculated. This is the nicest AU58 example of this date that I have handled in a number of years. This is the sort of Charlotte gold coin that is almost never offered for sale in this age of bright, scrubbed branch mint gold and it will be appreciated by the sophisticated specialist.