SOLD – $5.00 – 1876-S PCGS AU58
SOLD – $5.00 – 1876-S PCGS AU58
Date 1876-S
Grade PCGS AU58
PCGS Price Guide 25000
Population (PCGS) 2/0
Population (NGC) 4/1
Serial Number 8341.58/25787622
PCGS Lookup Number 8341
Coin Description
POSSIBLE SECOND FINEST KNOWN 1876-S HALF EAGLE
The 1876-S is the last half eagle from this mint which is unconditionally rare. Only 4,000 were made of which well under 100 are known, mostly in low grades. The 1876-S is extremely rare in the higher AU grades and it remains unique in Uncirculated with the finest known by a mile being the Garrett coin (graded MS65 by NGC).
This is likely one of the very first 1876-S half eagles made from these dies as the surfaces are nearly fully prooflike; most are seen with satiny luster. The details are razor sharp with all fine details up and bold. There is no real wear, just some scattered handling marks which are somewhat unfairly amplified by the depth of the reflectiveness. What appears to be a “hole” in Liberty’s earlobe is mint-made on is found on every known 1876-S half eagle.
An NGC AU58 example, clearly inferior to the present piece, sold for $18,800 as Heritage 3/14: 30334. The only other known PCGS AU58 brought $16,100 all the way back in 1999 as Bass II: 1209.
With the Garrett and Bass II coins seemingly off the market, this important new coin is likely the finest available 1876-S half eagle and this makes it an extremely important piece for the advanced Liberty Head half eagle collector.
