CONDITIONALLY SCARCE 1846/’5’-O $10

Winter-3.

This variety has been de-listed as an overdate, but viewed as a single variety the 1846-O is among the scarcest New Orleans eagles from the 1840s. It is very scarce in AU55, rare in AU58, and extremely rare in Uncirculated with just five or six known.

This example almost certainly traces it origin from a European bank vault find as it shows deep green-gold which is totally natural and which has never been lightened. As on virtually every known 1846-O eagle, the fields show a number of scuffs but these are less obtrusive than what s typically seen for this issue. There is noticeable weakness of strike at the curls over Liberty’s ear and this corresponds to the reverse. Both sides retain a considerable amount of mint luster and this coin likely never saw time in circulation.

For this variety, just one PCGS AU55 has sold at auction since 2010 and it brought $9,000 as Heritage 3/2018: 3171. No 1846-O “Normal Date” in PCGS AU55 has ever sold at auction, and the only example graded higher than this by PCGS was an MS60 which realized $35,250 as Legend 9/2015: 234.

If you are a serious collector of New Orleans eagles, you are likely aware that the 1846-O seldom comes finer than the coin offered here.

From the Novato Collection of New Orleans Eagles

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