UNDERRATED PCGS/CAC AU55 1850-D HALF EAGLE

Variety 28-U. Sharp mintmark.

The 1850-D is an underappreciated issue in the Dahlonega half eagle series. It is conditionally rare with the majority of the known coins grading lower than AU55 and with poor eye appeal. A properly graded AU55 is very scarce; even more so with original color and surfaces. In Uncirculated, this is one of the rarer issues in the series with just two or three known which I regard as accurately graded.

The color seen on this example is very rich with a nice brassy russet shade on the obverse and a slightly less intense hue on the reverse. The strike is very sharp with a bold mintmark. The surfaces are choice with a tiny mint-made planchet flaw right below the curl under Liberty’s ear barely worth describing. For the date, this coin has eye appeal in the top 5% of every piece known.

No CAC approved PCGS AU55 1850-D half eagle has ever sold at auction. Since the beginning of 2011, there have been five APRs for this date in PCGS AU55 ranging from a low of $3,840 (1/2019) to a high of $4,888 (1/11). None of these were especially choice.

Unless you have deep pockets and a lot of patience, you’ll likely not find a finer 1850-D half eagle than this.

CAC has approved four in this grade with just one finer (AU58).

From the Indian Rocks Beach Collection

DWN collects sales tax when appropriate.