GR-4, R-4. A scarcer variety.

The 1839-O is, for all intents and purposes, the first collectable New Orleans half dollar and it is easily identifiable by the location of the mintmark on the obverse. It is among the most popular silver coins from this mint and it has strong multiple levels of demand. The 1839-O is not a rare date in AU grades but it is not often found with natural color and problem-free original surfaces.

This very attractive example has a rich lilac-grey central obverse framed by concentric rings of green and red, likely from storage in an old coin album. The reverse has a similar appearance with slightly lighter color at the border. The strike is sharp and the surfaces are immaculate save for a hidden obverse scratch above the cap at 12:00.

Since early 2005, only one PCGS AU50 example of this date has sold at auction The last PCGS AU53 sold for $3,525 as Stacks Bowers 6/13: 1298 and it was not nearly as choice as the present example.

A popular grade for a popular issue at an affordable price point.