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.

1857-O $5.00 NGC AU53

Only 13,000 were struck and this is a numismatically significant issue as the final No Motto half eagle from the New Orleans mint. It is considerably scarcer than the majority of the Charlotte and Dahlonega half eagles from this decade and it is a major rarity in Uncirculated with just two or three known. In the middle to higher AU grades, the 1857-O is extremely scarce and there are probably fewer than twenty known. This example has nice luster with a slightly Prooflike finish below light green-gold color. There are a few scattered marks in the fields and a small tick or two on the face. There have been just three APR's for this date in AU53 since 1999.

1864 $20.00 PCGS AU53

If you collect Civil War double eagles you probably already know that the rarity of the Philadelphia issues, in order, are the 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865 and the 1861. The 1864 is a very hard issue to locate in the middle to higher AU grades and it is especially hard to locate with original color and surfaces. This piece has wholly natural orange-gold and medium greenish color on the obverse and reverse with a great naked eye "look." The surfaces are moderately scuffed with fewer abrasions than usual for the date and were it not for a small scrape in the left obverse field (in front of the portrait) an AU55 grade would be entirely within the realm of possibility. There have been just six APR's for this date in AU53 since January 2008 and the last record for a PCGS example was Heritage 6/11: 4905 which brought $5,750>

1876-CC $10.00 NGC AU53

In 1876-CC, the Carson City mint produced a total of 4,696 eagles. The survival rate for this issue is a bit higher than it is for the 1875-CC or 1877-CC eagles but there are still well under 100 known in all grades and none of these are higher than AU58. This is a pleasing AU53 example with nice natural reddish and light orange-gold color. The strike is above-average for the issue with less weakness than usual at the centers and uncommonly good detail on the neck of the eagle. There are a few small marks seen in the fields but none are deep or out of keeping with the assigned grade. Since 2000, there have been fourteen APR's for examples of this date graded AU53. These sales range from a low of $10,925 (back in 2000) to a high of $20,125. With AU58's basically unavailable and most AU55's showing a comparable appearance to this piece, I think the present example is perfect for the advanced collector who wants to own an above-average 1876-CC eagle for less than $20,000

1861 $20.00 PCGS AU53

This coin has the naked-eye appearance of an AU58/MS61 but it has been net graded by PCGS on account of some light obverse hairlines. It is extremely clean with almost no abrasions and the naked-eye appearance is exceptional. The most affordable Civil War double eagle and a good Type One type coin.

1859-O $10.00 PCGS AU53 CAC

Old Green Holder. By today's standards I think this coin is closer to grading AU55 and it is clearly among the finest known of this rare date. The 1859-O is the second rarest eagle from this mint, trailing the low mintage 1883-O. Only 2,300 were struck and it is estimated that four to five dozen are known today with most in the VF35 to EF45 range. In AU, the 1859-O eagle is very rare, especially with natural color and surfaces. This piece may possibly trace its origin to a European source as it has the sort of dirty two-tone appearance that is seen on some American gold coins of this era that were sent overseas. The obverse and reverse show deep greenish and orange-gold color with a good deal of luster below; the high spots are a bit lighter in hue. The strike is about average for the date with some weakness at the radial lines in the stars but the centers are nicely detailed. No serious marks can be seen with the naked eye and the eye appeal is really exceptional for an issue that is seldom seen with a decent appearance; let alone a good one. The last APR for an 1859-O eagle in AU53 is Goldberg 9/10: 2977 at $21,850 but this coin was bright and low end in my opinion. Since 2000. there have been just two other AU53's sold with the best of these being Heritage 6/05: 7908 (an NGC AU53) which brought $28,750. For many years, the 1859-O was the highest priced New Orleans eagle but it has been overtaken by the 1883-O. An 1883-O in AU53 to AU55 with great eye appeal could bring $75,000-85,000 in today's market which sort of leads me to think that choice examples of the 1859-O are currently undervalued. This statement makes even more sense considering how popular Liberty Head eagles have become in the last two or three years. An important coin!

1854-O Small Date $10.00 NGC AU53

Small Date variety. This choice, original coin shows deep, attractive green-gold color and there is a good deal of dirt in the recesses. I purchased this coin from a dealer who imports American gold coins from Europe and this piece had never seen the light of day in the American coin market until now. It is high end for the grade and as nice as examples that I have seen in AU55 holders. While typically regarded as the more common of the two varieties of 1854-O eagle, I actually see fewer choice Small Dates than I do of the more photogenic Large Date.

1842-C Large Date $5.00 NGC AU53

Large Date variety. This is the more available of the two varieties of half eagle made at the Charlotte mint in 1842. The 1842-C Large Date is reasonably available in all grades but it is fairly hard to find an attractive piece with nice surfaces and eye appeal in "collector grades." This example has a good deal of luster and nice light to medium yellow-gold color. There are just enough small abrasions on the surfaces to limit the grade to AU53 but the "body" is suggestive of at least two points higher and I have seen a number of inferior Charlotte half eagles from this era in AU55 and even AU58 holders. This coin represents good value for less than $4,000 and it would make a nice introductory coin for the collector looking to get into the area of branch mint half eagles.

1838-D $5.00 NGC AU53

The 1838-D isn't the rarest half eagle from this mint (that honor belongs to the 1842-D Large Date) nor is it the most historically significant (take a bow, 1861-D) but it is the most numismatically significant as it is the first issue from this mint and the only half eagle employing the Classic Head design. The 1838-D isn't really that rare from the standpoint of overall number known but most survivors are in lower grades and the few choice examples that exist tend to be in tightly-held private collections. The 1838-D is seldom seen with original color and surfaces and this fresh-to-the-market example (accompanied by an old handwritten manila envelope) has a considerable amount of natural mint luster visible below medium greenish-gold and pale orange splashes. The detail is excellent for the issue with the centers showing nice definition while there are no surface marks of consequence. There is a small obverse rim bump at 11:00 on the obverse where the coin appears to have been dropped onto a hard surface at one time. This issue is always in demand and with very marginal quality EF-ish coins now selling in the $5,000-7,000, this fully AU example makes sense from a value standpoint.

Ex Stack's Bowers 3/12: 7490 where it sold for $9,775; from the Demarete collection.