NEW COINS ADDED 3/12/2025
JUST ADDED - $5.00 - 1843-O Large Letters PCGS MS60
JUST ADDED - $5.00 - 1843-O Large Letters PCGS MS60
Date…….1843-O Large Letters
Grade…….PCGS MS60
PCGS Price Guide.…………20000
Population (PCGS)…….……..3/9
Population (NGC)….…..……6/20
Serial Number……8216.60/46886571
PCGS Lookup Number.…..8216
IMPORTANT PCGS MS60 1843 LARGE LETTERS $5.00
Two varieties are known for the 1843-O half eagle: the Small Letters and the Large Letters. The latter is the more available of the two. In Uncirculated, the 1843-O Small Letters is a scarce coin although a small number of superbly toned MS63 to MS64+ pieces exist; these are from a hoard that I quietly sold at a pace of one per annum between 2015 and 2024.
Many sharp numismatists will look at this coin and ask why it is only in a 60 holder when it looks to the naked eye to be at least MS61 if not even a bit finer. To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what PCGS was thinking about when they graded it an MS60. The frosty luster remains unbroken while the color is a pleasing and fully natural buttery yellow-gold. Despite a network of thin cracks on the obverse and reverse, the strike is sharp. Some weakness on the RIC in AMERICA is the result of die lapping which was done at the mint to eradicate rust which had formed.
No PCGS MS60 has appeared at auction since 7/1994, while a low-end NGC MS60 was sold for $11,400 in 6/2021. In their 2024 ANA auction, Stack’s Bowers sold a PCGS/CAC MS62 for $20,400.
This coin will fit into a high quality set of New Orleans half eagles.
