SCARCE UNCIRCULATED 1840-O HALF EAGLE

Winter-2. Narrow Milling, Small O mintmark.

Production of half eagles began in 1840 at the newly-opened New Orleans mint. With around 300 pieces known in total the 1840-O is not a scarce half eagle but this situation changes once we reach the MS level. An estimated 10-12 exist in all Uncirculated grades with around three-quarters in the MS60 to MS62 range.

This fresh-to-the-market example is nice for the date and grade. It shows an average quality strike with some slight weakness at the centers. Both sides are frosty and they are attractively toned in medium orange-gold hues. A few small, well-dispersed marks in the fields limit the grade.

No NGC 1840-O half eagle in MS61 or MS62 have sold at auction since late 2014 while the last PCGS MS61 example to be auctioned brought $11,400 as Stacks Bowers 8/2021: 4209.

This date is a favorite of mine and it still lacks cachet of the popular first year Southern half eagles dated 1838-C/D and 1839-C/D.

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