EXTREMELY RARE 1876 EAGLE: ONLY 687 STRUCK FOR CIRCULATION

Only 687 business strike 1876 eagles were struck, giving this issue the second lowest figure for any Liberty Head eagle after the exceedingly rare 1875. There are around 40-50 1876 eagles known with most in the VF-EF range. This date is very rare in AU and of the dozen or so which exist, nearly every example has been cleaned and shows negative eye appeal.

This very important fresh example appears to have come from a European source as it has the rich orange-gold color with dark highlights which is commonly seen on undipped coins from these sources. Unlike nearly every known 1876 eagle, this remarkable piece is not only uncleaned but it shows far fewer marks than usual and has good eye appeal as a result. Some natural dirt is caked onto the back of Liberty’s ear and at the top of the left wing and these serve as good pedigree indicators for future collectors.

Heritage 4/14: 5774, graded AU55 by NGC and approved by CAC, sold for $41,125. In my opinion, that coin was not choice for the grade. Two PCGS AU58′s, one with CAC approval, have sold in the last two years and both brought $70,500. Again, it is my opinion that neither was choice for the grade and, thinking as a collector would, I’d prefer this PCGS AU55.

After years of neglect, this date has become popular, due to its low mintage and its undeniable rarity. I think this is the perfect coin for the sophisticated specialist who appreciates originality.

CAC has approved two in AU55 with one finer (58).