SOLD- $5.00 – 1859 PCGS AU58
SOLD- $5.00 – 1859 PCGS AU58
Serial Number 8280.58/25274550
PCGS Lookup Number 8280
The 1859 is the third scarcest pre-Civil War half eagle from the Philadelphia mint after the 1842 Small Letters and Large Letters. Of the 16,734 struck, there are fewer than 100 known with most in the EF-40 to AU53 grade range. There are just two or three known in Uncirculated and the best I have personally seen is ex MIlas:514 which was graded MS62 by NGC back in 1995.
This semi-prooflike slider shows light green-gold color with a natural reddish splash on the reverse at the shield and the surrounding inner right wing of the eagle. There is some light friction seen on the high spots but this coin has little actual wear. There are some handling marks in the fields, most noticeably at the inner left obverse field near Liberty’s throat.
The last two APR’s for PCGS AU58 examples of this date are Heritage 2/14: 4670 at $4,113 and Stacks Bowers 4/13: 1328 at $4,700.
After years of neglect, collectors have finally begun to appreciate this date but it remains a good value in nearly all grades.
