1863 $1.00 NGC MS62

After the low mintage 1875, the 1863 is the rarest gold dollar from the Philadelphia mint. While the original mintage figure is a not-especially eye-catching 6,200 business strikes, this date was not saved and the total number known is probably less than 100 in all grades. There are a few Gems known but lower grade Mint State pieces are almost never offered for sale, as evidenced by the fact that there are just three examples in this grade that have appeared at auction since 1999. The last MS62 to sell was Stacks Bowers 11/11: 9165 (encapsulated by PCGS) that brought $7,331. The present example is pleasing with light yellow-gold color that deepens a bit towards the border. There are a few scuffs in the fields that are consistent with the grade. Civil War gold is currently very popular with collectors and as more people begin to collect these issues, they learn that many are really rare in higher grades. An important opportunity for a variety of potential buyers.