The 1863 is a rarity in the Liberty Head half eagle series. The only Philadelphia issues of this design which are rarer are the 1875 and the 1865 and the 1863 has a total surviving population of around 30-35 from an original mintage of just 2,442 coins.

I have had the good fortune to handle no less than three Condition Census 1863 half eagles in the last year and a half and this fresh-to-the-market example is the second best, trailing an NGC MS60 which I sold to an east coast specialist. This lightly worn example shows well over 50% original mint luster atop lightly marked medium orange-gold surfaces. There is enough “meat” that I could see this coin in an AU55 holder and the most describable mark is located on the reverse just to the left of the F in FIVE.

There have been no AU53′s of this date sold at auction since October 2006 and no AU55′s since June 2003. Stacks Bowers 2011 ANA: 9431, graded AU58 by NGC, brought $14,950 and, in my opinion, was a less attractive example than the currently offered coin.

If you are a serious collector of Liberty Head half eagles or if you like truly rare Civil War gold issues, this piece should be of great interest to you.