CHOICE AU 1839-O HALF DOLLAR WITH CAC APPROVAL

GR-1, R-1. Late die state with heavy cracks.

For all intents and purposes, the 1839-O is the only mintmarked Classic Head half dollar available given the extreme rarity and high price tag of the 1838-O. It is a reasonably common issue in circulated grades but it becomes scarce in properly graded AU55 to AU58, especially with natural color and choice surfaces.

This fresh-to-the-market example shows very attractive deep, even grey color on both the obverse and the reverse. It is well struck despite the advanced state of the die cracks and the fields lack the small ticks and/or hairlines so often seen on this issue. For some reason, it is extremely difficult to locate this date in AU with original color and this is one of the few 1839-O half dollars I have seen in some time with the right “look.”

No 1839-O half dollar in AU58 with CAC approval has sold at auction. I recently sold a nicely toned PCGS/CAC AU58 from my private collection for $6,500.

A really nice example of this ultra-popular historic issue.

CAC has approved four in this grade with four finer.