1862 $3.00 PCGS PR63 CAC

Byron Reed Collection pedigree. One of 35 Proofs struck; there are probably as few as nine to ten known. This is one of the few absolutely original Proof gold coins on the market. It was last sold in 1996 and before this it had resided in the Byron Reed/Omaha City Library collection since the 1890's. The obverse and reverse show deep natural cloudy orange-gold color over reflective surfaces. It appears that the contrast is good enough to designate this coin as a Proof but the aforementioned toning has slightly obscured the frosted nature of the portrait; if dipped (yikes!) this contrast would be fully evident. There are a a few old hairlines on the surfaces (not from cleaning but from cabinet friction) and a few mint-made lines in the planchet before the U in UNITED. The rarity of this date as a Proof is evidenced by the fact that there have been just two pieces sold at auction since 1999: a PCGS PR64 in 6/04 that sold for $50,600 and another PCGS PR64 that brought $37,950 in May 2006. This piece is an amazing combination of rarity, pedigree and beauty and it should be very attractive to Proof gold collectors or Civil War specialists.

Ex Spink America 10/1996: 78 (where it sold for $15,400), earlier in the Byron Reed/Omaha City Library collection. The original auction flip accompanies the coin.

1867 $5.00 NGC PR63 CAM

50 struck; around a dozen or so are known today. As with all proofs of this year the comparably "high" mintage of 50 is misleading as it is clear that a number went to the melting pot after going unsold. To date, NGC has graded just six Proof 1867 half egales while PCGS has graded eight; this figure, of course, includes regrades, crossovers, etc. This example is among the few affordable Proof half eagles of this era that is available. It has fully reflective surfaces that show no signs of cleaning but there are a few contact marks in the obverse fields; the reverse is clean and choice. There hasn't been a Proof of this date/denomination sold at auction since December 2009 and there are just eleven auction records since 2000. A Gem Proof example of this issue would cost at least three times the asking price of this piece if it were even available. An important piece of Proof gold for the savvy specialist.