This numismatically significant issue is the first double eagle from the New Orleans mint. It is only moderately scarce in VF and EF grades but it becomes scarfce in the lower AU grades and it is rare in properly graded AU55 and above.

Most AU examples of this date, regardless of numerical grade, have poor eye appeal due to excessive scuffs and bright, colorless surfaces. This piece exhibits attractive rich orange-gold hues and while there are scattered abrasions, the fields are cleaner than normal. As always, the date is not sharply entered into the die but the centers are sharp and most of the stars are fully rendered. There is one noticeable mark between stars two and three on the obverse; the reverse grades AU53 to AU55 on its own.

Just two AU50 examples of the 1850-O double eagle were offered at auction last year. Both were encapsulated by NGC and sold for $9,988 and $10,925, respectively.

This is a solid value for the date as an AU53, which might not show much visual difference from this piece, would bring $15,000-17,000 if available.

sold