RARE NGC AU55 1876 HALF EAGLE WITH CAC APPROVAL

This popular Centennial issue has a comically low mintage of just 1,432 business strikes with as few as 50-60 known in all grades. In properly graded AU, the 1876 half eagle is very rare with most showing excessive marks. Curiously, there are some MS63 to MS65 pieces known and these are likely from a small group put away at the time of issuance.

This is a very choice example with natural deep russet color seen over surfaces with far fewer marks than usual for the issue. I have handled many circulated 1876 half eagles and this is probably the nicest, given its pristine original appearance.

Since 2006, just three AU55 1876 half eagles have sold at auction; all were NGC coins without CAC approval. The most recent record is October 2016 when Heritage sold an example for $6,463.

This date seems undervalued to me, especially when one considers the levels attained by comparable examples of its bigger brother, the 1876-P eagle.

CAC has approved two in AU55 with only one finer (AU58).

FROM THE RIO GRANDE COLLECTION