1874 $5.00 PCGS PR65DCAM, ex Garrett Collection

Only 20 Proof half eagles were struck in 1874, meaning that no date of this denomination has a lower original mintage figure from 1859 onwards. It is likely that no more than 9 or 10 Proof 1874 half eagles are known with three impounded in private collections. The present example is likely the second finest known and it is the best available in a PCGS holder.

This is an amazing Gem Proof example with strong black and white contrast between the devices and the fields which give the coin a remarkable naked eye appearance. There are a few small lines in the left obverse fields while the reverse is nearly perfect.

The finest known 1874 half eagle is an NGC PR66 Ultra Cameo (which was formerly graded PR65 by PCGS) which sold for $126,500 in January 2008. No PCGS PR65 example has sold since 2005.

This coin is the only 1874 half eagle in any grade to have been accorded a DCAM designation and it
is a population 1/0 issue in Proof 65 factoring in all designations. As a date, only three 1874 half eagles have been graded by PCGS and the present example is clearly the best available to collectors.

Here is a chance to purchase a truly remarkable piece of Proof gold which combines beauty, quality, rarity and provenance.

Ex: Heritage 2015 ANA: 4364 (as NGC PR65UC), Ed Trompeter collection, Garrett I: 486 (Bowers and Ruddy 11/79) where it sold for a record $26,000, Garrett family collection, purchased by T. Harrison Garrett from W. Elliot Woodward on 9/5/1883, early in the Herman Ely collection.