CHOICE PCGS VF35 1838-C $5.00, ex North Georgia collection

This coin is housed in an older PCGS holder and I feel that it grades a strong EF40 by today’s standards.

As with its cousin the 1838-D half eagle, this is likely the single most in-demand half eagle from the Charlotte mint. It, too, is a one-year type and a first-year-of-issue and that big, fat C mintmark on the obverse makes it irresistible to most collectors. Comparing the two, the 1838-C is considerably scarcer, especially once you get up to the lower-to-mid AU range. There are very few collector grade coins—such as this piece—that can be purchased for under $20k that show any amount of eye appeal.

From the famous North Georgia Collection, sold by Heritage at the 1999 FUN show and consigned by DWN, this piece has been off the market for close to 30 years. It has a very natural appearance with attractive medium orange-gold color atop very clean surfaces.

No PCGS VF35 example of this date has sold at auction since 2021, but I have seen nasty, heavily scrubbed VF35s sell at shows this year for around $15k. A decent PCGS EF40 sold for $14,400 as Stack’s Bowers 1/2024: 3135; a price that in retrospect seems like a bargain by today’s standards.

Please note that this coin and the PCGS/CAC 1838-D half eagle in EF45 have been together as a pair since before 2000.

From the North Georgia Collection and privately by DWN prior to the 1/1999 sale of the best coins.

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