The date was originally entered upside down and then corrected by the engraver. This is the most spectacular blundered date error seen on any Liberty Head eagle and it remains one of the coolest varieties in all of the series of this design. There are around 50 known in all grades with most in the VF-EF range. Properly graded AU’s are extremely rare and this coin is comfortably in the Condition Census.

This fresh-to-the-market example was recently found in Europe and it is the single nicest 1865-S Inverted Date eagle that I have handled. It is an early die state with less sinking at the centers than usual and much better central details as a result. The surfaces are very clean and lustrous and the color is a pleasing light to medium russet hue. I think PCGS was pretty conservative on this coin and it wouldn’t look out of place in a 55 holder.

There have been two AU53′s sold at auction this year. A PCGS coin, with somewhat funky color, went for $27,025 as Heritage 3/14: 30367 while an NGC coin brought $21,738 as Heritage 2/14: 5380.

I can’t imagine there are more than two or three finer known 1865-S Inverted Date eagles known and these are all off the market in tightly-held collections. This is an extremely important coin for the advanced SF mint eagle specialist.

CAC has approved this one coin in AU55 with none finer. Only four have been approved for the date and the next highest is graded VG10 (!)