RARE CONDITION CENSUS 1847-D HALF EAGLE, GRADED MS62 BY PCGS

Variety 19-I.

The 1847-D half eagle is much scarcer in higher grades than the common dates from this era (1843-D, 1844-D and 1845-D) which it is typically lumped in with. There are an estimated dozen or so known in Uncirculated but nearly all of these fall into the MS60 to MS62 range and I have no knowledge of any 1847-D which grades higher than MS63.

Housed in an older blue label holder without a barcode on the front, this coin was graded long ago and it appears solid for an MS62. It is well struck and frosty with pleasing natural orange-gold color; this is unusual for the issue as some of the slabbed high grade 1847-D half eagles I have seen have questionable color. There are some grade-limiting scuffs in the obverse fields include an ultra-shallow mint made planchet depression near star two.

No PCGS MS62 has sold at auction since Heritage 6/08: 1995 brought $9,200. Bowers and Merena 3/04: 3024, also graded MS62 by PCGS, realized $9,775.

I have owned nearly every 1847-D half eagle graded MS62 and higher by PCGS and this piece compares favorably. A nice example for the date or type collector.