1866 is a numismatically significant year for American coinage as the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to all coins on which it would fit. 1866 half eagles are in demand both as a first-year-of-issue and as a rare date with an original mintage of just 6,700 business strikes. There are an estimated 75 known with most in the EF40 to AU50 range. I am aware of exactly three Uncirculated pieces of which the present examples is clearly the finest.

This choice, original example is very frosty and shows splashes of attractive rich reddish-gold color. There are some scattered marks in the fields which limit the grade but this piece has far more appeal than any 1866 half eagle I have seen. There are mint-made parallel striations on the obverse and the reverse which are diagnostic to this issue and which are seen on many 1866-dated coins regardless of denomination.

SB 2/13: 2168 (which sold for $34,075) and which was earlier sold as Heritage 9/08: 3716 (where it brought $40,250) is graded MS63 by NGC but it is clearly not the equal of the present coin. It was first seen in a PCGS MS62 holder and it brought $25,300 as Goldberg 5/08: 4679. The only other Uncirculated 1866 half eagle, graded MS61 by PCGS, sold for $13,800 in its last auction appearance as Heritage 5/08: 3270.

How often will a serious collector get a chance to buy the undisputed finest known example of a genuinely rare and numismatically significant 19th century issue? Not very often in our experience and this is why I feel that this 1866 half eagle represents one of the more important individual pieces (and better values) which I have offered this year.

CAC has approved just this one 1866 half eagle in any Uncirculated grade.