The 1870 is the most available of the rare Philadelphia eagles made between 1869 and 1877 but it is still a hard coin to find in all grades. Of the 3,990 business strikes produced, there are fewer than 100 known with most in the EF40 to AU50 range. No 1870 eagles exist in Uncirculated and of the three or four graded AU58, none have better eye appeal than this choice example, despite its slightly lower grade.

This is among the few 1870 eagles I have seen which has not being cleaned or processed and it shows a considerable amount of frost and a limited number of marks. Both sides show nice rose and orange-gold color and the strike is typically a bit weak at the very center.

The most comparable auction record for this coin is listed below.

This is a strong Condition Census example of a date which I feel remains undervalued in higher grades, despite the recent popularity of low mintage Philadelphia and San Francisco eagles from the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.

CAC has approved two in this grade with none finer.

Ex Heritage 1/14: 6890 where it sold for $10,575 as an NGC AU55/CAC coin.

On hold.