SOLD – $5.00 – 1859-S PCGS EF45 CAC
SOLD – $5.00 – 1859-S PCGS EF45 CAC
Serial Number 8283.45/08956926
PCGS Lookup Number 8283
Only 13,220 half eagles were struck at the San Francisco mint in 1859 and as with the eagle from this year, the survival rate for 1859-S half eagles is very low. Around 50 or so are known with many in very low grades and nearly all survivors, regardless of condition, are lacking eye appeal.
This choice, original example is one of the few cosmetically appealing 1859-S half eagles I have seen. It shows nice natural russet and orange-gold color and it has a good deal of dirt in the protected area of the reverse. Some luster clings to both sides and the reverse is fully AU in terms of sharpness.
No PCGS AU50 examples have sold at auction since May 2011. In Heritage’s 1/14 sale, a nice PCGS VF25 brought an extremely strong $6,463.
San Francisco half eagles of this era and quality are suddenly in great demand and coins with original color and surfaces are leading this demand.
CAC has approved just this one example in EF45 with three finer.
On hold.
