SOLD - $20.00 – 1868 NGC AU53+ CAC
SOLD - $20.00 – 1868 NGC AU53+ CAC
Date 1868
Grade NGC AU53 CAC
PCGS Price Guide 6750
Population (PCGS) 19/51
Population (NGC) 23/90 (only 53+)
CAC Population 5/10 (only 53+)
Serial Number 4307897-028
PCGS Lookup Number 8953
RARE AND POPULAR 1868 DOUBLE EAGLE
The 1868 is the single rarest Type Two double eagle from the Philadelphia mint by a fairly significant margin. It is generally seen in the EF and lower AU grades and it becomes very scarce in properly graded AU55. This date is not often seen with natural color and choice surfaces.
This fresh-to-the-market 1868 is the first example of this popular date which I have handled in more than a year. It shows attractive natural green-gold and rose shadings with some contrasting darker hues on the relief details. Both sides are lustrous and far less abraded than usual for the date. The obverse is choice and, in my opinion, grades a full AU55; the reverse shows a few mint-made grease stains along the right fluer-de-lys below UNIT in UNITED. The eye appeal is exceptional for the date and grade.
The last NGC AU53 to sell at auction brought $5,288 as Heritage 12/4: 4765 while a nice PCGS AU53 sold for $8,813 as Heritage 6/15: 4344. Neither were CAC approved. The present example is the only “53+” graded by either service as of 6/16.
After a few years of slumbering, the Type Two double eagle market is showing signs of activity and the 1868 is a date that is recognized as a key issue in the series.
CAC has approved four in AU53 (only this one as 53+) with 10 finer.
