CONDITIONALLY RARE PCGS/CAC AU58 1842 SMALL DATE $10

Varieties of 1842 eagles are known with a Large Date and a Small Date. The latter is considerably scarcer and it is very difficult to locate in properly graded AU55 and better. In Uncirculated there are four or five known with two best being the PCGS MS62 Bass coin, and the very high-end PCGS MS63 in the Tyrant Collection.

This is the single nicest AU58 1842 Small Date I have ever offered and it serves as a textbook example of what an “original coin” (a term you hear me discuss a lot…) should look like. There is no real wear; just some light friction from storage. The color is a pleasing deep golden-orange and green with a good amount of underlying luster. Some handling marks are seen on Liberty’s face and neck and some scuffing is visible in the left obverse field. In my opinion, this is absolutely a premium example for the date and grade.

There are just two APRs for this date in PCGS AU58 since June 2010 and neither was approved by CAC. One really scuzzy coin brought just $3,290 as Heritage 1/2016: 6526, while a very choice example sold for a strong $10,575 as Heritage 2/2014: 6526.

The only finer examples of this date which might come available in the coming years are MS61s which are actually sliders and which are not as nice as this accurately graded AU58.

CAC has approved three in this grade with one finer.

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