VERY RARE BORDERLINE GEM 1870-S GOLD DOLLAR

The 1870-S is numismatically significant as the final gold dollar struck at the San Francisco mint. Only 3,000 were made and an estimated 100-150 are known today. This date is mostly seen in the EF and AU grades and high quality Uncirculated pieces are very rare with just a few known. The single best 1870-S gold dollar I have seen is a PCGS MS65+ in the Duckor collection. This coin sold for $37,600 in Heritage’s 2015 ANA auction.

This borderline Gem is bright and frosty with excellent surfaces and a very fresh appearance. It is well detailed, even for this normally sharp issue and there are just a few insignificant ticks in the fields which keep this piece from consideration at the Gem level.

The last PCGS MS64 example of this date to sell at auction was Superior 5/03: 3557 which brought $9,775 well over a decade ago. An NGC MS64 with CAC approval realized $10,869 as Heritage 4/13: 4445.

Due to the rarity of the Three Dollar gold piece,the “little sister” gold dollar holds a strong allure to collectors.

CAC has approved two in this grade with three finer.