1860-O $10.00 NGC AU55

This is the final New Orleans eagle of the No Motto type and the denomination would remain unproduced at this mint until it was resumed in 1879. I regard the 1860-O as an overlooked scarcity. Only 11,100 were made and of the few hundred that survive, most are in the EF40 to AU50 range. The 1860-O eagle is rare in properly graded AU55 to AU58 and extremely rare in Uncirculated. This example is more original and more lustrous than just about any 1860-O that I have seen in the last few years. It is slightly prooflike with pale orange-gold color that deepens a bit at the obverse border and on the shield. There are a few scattered marks but none are serious or detracting. Only one AU55 has appeared at auction since the summer of 2009; Heritage 1/11: 22442 (encapsulated by NGC) sold for $5,175. The present example is considerably nicer in my opinion and it would make a great addition to an advanced set of Liberty Head eagles.