Bass Collection pedigree.

The three New Orleans eagles struck between 1880 and 1882 are of fairly similar overall and high grade rarity. The 1882-O is probably the most available of the three with an estimated 250-300+ known mostly in the EF40 to AU53 range. There are probably not more than eight to ten known in Uncirculated with only three of these grading higher than MS60 to MS61.

This remarkable coin literally blew me away when I first saw it in 2000. A decade and a half later, I am still in awe of it. What strikes me as the most prominent feature is this coin’s intense luster which is more suggestive of a common date from the 1900′s. The surfaces are covered with rich orange-gold color which deepens on the reverse. A few stray hairlines on the obverse probably limit the grade but this coin has the naked-eye appearance of a Gem and it has been in a 63 holder since 2000.

This is unquestionably the single finest known 1882-O eagle. There is one other coin graded MS63 by PCGS which I used to own and I later sold it as Heritage 8/07: 1980 where it realized $37,375. An NGC MS62 with CAC sold for $30,550 as Lot 6911; while attractive, it wasn’t in the same class as the two PCGS MS63′s.

This is a truly unique opportunity for the serious collector of Liberty Head eagles or the New Orleans specialist to own a coin of incredible importance and unquestionable rarity.

CAC has approved just this one coin in MS63 with none finer.

Ex Bowers and Merena 11/00: 743 ($13,800), Harry Bass collection, obtained by private treaty from A-Mark Coins on 4/20/76.