Variety 38-CC, Medium D. Designated as such by PCGS.

The 1855-D is the third rarest Dahlonega half eagle in terms of overall rarity and the fourth rarest in high grades. Fewer than three dozen are known in AU grades, mostly in the 50 to 53 range. Properly graded AU58′s are very rare and I know of only three to five which grade Uncirculated; none of which are available to collectors.

This lustrous slider shows natural soft rose gold color atop choice, lustrous surfaces. The strike, as always, show some weakness at the centers and the eagle’s neck has no feather detail to speak of. This date is almost never seen with a natural appearance and this example appears to have never been dipped or processed. A small, thin obverse scratch between stars seven and eight is mentioned for purposes of identification.

In my book on Dahlonega gold, I accidentally stated that this is the rarer of the two varieties known. This is not correct and the Large D (Variety 38-EE) is in fact the rarer.

The only other 1855-D in PCGS AU58 with CAC approval to sell at auction brought $10,350 as Stacks Bowers 11/11: 9518. The Bass III: 459 coin, graded AU58, sold for $8,050 back in May 2000.

This is one of the more important Dahlonega half eagles in the Western Michigan collection and it has been off the market since the Summer of 1999.

CAC has approved two in this grade with none finer.