SOLD- $5.00 – 1838-D PCGS EF45
SOLD- $5.00 – 1838-D PCGS EF45
Serial Number 8178.45/25254993
PCGS Lookup Number 8178
Variety 1-A.
The 1838-D half eagle is numismatically significant as the very first coin struck at the Dahlonega mint. It is a distinct one-year type and it is one of only two obverse mintmark issues from this mint along with the 1839-D quarter eagle. It is only moderately scarce but it is almost never seen in popular collector grades and almost never at a sub-$10,000 price point.
This medium orange-gold example has the details of an AU50 but it has been net graded by some old hairlines on the obverse (which are hard to see unless the coin is tiled towards a light source) and some light old scratches on the reverse behind the eagle’s neck. The naked-eye appearance is excellent.
Only two PCGS EF45 examples of this issue have sold at auction since November 2003 (!) and the last to sell was back in August 2010.
The 1838-D probably has the highest multiple level of demand of any half eagle from this mint and it has been a long time since I have been able to offer a nice PCGS EF.
