1881-CC $10.00 NGC MS61

Every Carson City eagle struck prior to 1890-CC is difficult to find in Uncirculated but the 1881-CC is the only issue that is sometimes seen in Uncirculated, albeit in grades from MS60 to MS62. This fresh-from-Europe example has superb deep natural color with even medium reddish-orange hues on the obverse; the reverse is similar but deeper with some natural grease stains around MERI in AMERICA. The underlying luster is frosty in texture with only a few scuffs in the upper left obverse field keeping this piece from strong consideration at the MS62 level. Only four examples have appeared at auction in this grade in the last four years and I have only handled a few examples finer than MS61 including the Eliasberg MS64 coin that is the single finest known. Of the few dozen 1881-CC eagles known in Uncirculated, few have the eye appeal that this coin and only a handful show this degree of originality. A great coin for the date collector or the type collector looking for a single better date Liberty Head eagle for his set dated prior to 1890.