EXTREMELY RARE AND IMPORTANT UNCIRCULATED 1855-S HALF EAGLE

The 1855-S is for all intents and purposes the first collectible San Francisco half eagle, given the rarity of the 1854-S. It is obtainable in grades up to AU55 but it becomes very scarce in AU58 and it is extremely rare in full Uncirculated with just two known to me: this example and a PCGS MS62 which is ex Bass II: 1077 at $17,250 back in October 1999.

This fresh-to-the-market example is easily the best 1855-S half eagle I’ve owned. It is well detailed for the issue with just a slight amount of weakness at the central obverse and it shows exceptional satiny luster below natural rose and orange-gold hues; the reverse shows splashes of rich orange-gold which adds even more eye appeal. There are some light marks consistent with the grade but I think this coin is very choice for the grade and closer to MS62 in quality than its current MS61 grade.

As mentioned above, the only comparable 1855-S half eagle to sell at auction was the Bass II coin which sold for $17,250 nearly twenty years ago; it would bring considerably more than this today.

This is one of the more important San Francisco half eagles which I’ve offered for sale in a number of years and if you are putting together a finest known/Condition Census set, I don’t need to tell you what a significant coin this is.

CAC has approved one in all Uncirculated grades: this coin.