1869 $10.00 PCGS EF45

Only 1,830 examples were struck and well under 100 are known in all grades. Despite the obvious rarity of this issue, the 1869 eagle remains an affordable coin in circulated grades and one which is, in my opinion, decidedly undervalued. This is a choice, wholesome example for the grade with rich orange-gold centers that are contrasted by blasts of natural purplish-red color on the obverse and, to a greater extent, on the reverse. There is some PL surface remaining on both sides and the detail is suggestive of an AU coin. Some handling marks in the fields can be seen but these tend to be shallow and do not detract from the overall attractiveness. Looking at auction records, nice EF examples of this issue are available at the rate of around once per year. I note considerable interest in coins like this as the market becomes more sophisticated and oriented towards overall rarity.