THE SECOND RAREST BUSINESS STRIKE LIBERTY HEAD QUARTER EAGLE FROM THE PHILADELPHIA MINT.

The 1865 is the second rarest business strike Philadelphia mint Liberty Head quarter eagle after the 1864. Only 1,520 were made and there are around 30-40 known with most in the EF40 to AU50 range. I sold the only known Uncirculated piece (a PCGS MS63) to a collector many years ago and the 1865 is a strong R-7 issue in AU grades with fewer than 10 properly graded pieces known.

This fresh-to-the-market example has better eye appeal than any other AU55 1865 quarter eagle I have seen in years. Unlike nearly every piece in a 55 holder, it is original with natural medium russet centers framed by fiery reddish flashes at the borders. The surfaces show light, even wear and there are no detracting marks or signs of adulteration. The eye appeal is exceptional for the date and grade.

No comparable AU55 example has sold at auction in recent years. A nice NGC AU58 brought $28,200 as Heritage 2/14: 5310.

This issue has multiple levels of demand as it is sought by Liberty Head quarter eagle specialists, Civil War collectors and individuals who purchase truly rare coins.

CAC has approved one in this grade with one finer (AU58). These are the only two approved for the entire issue by CAC.