1857-O $5.00 NGC AU53

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Only 13,000 were struck and this is a numismatically significant issue as the final No Motto half eagle from the New Orleans mint. It is considerably scarcer than the majority of the Charlotte and Dahlonega half eagles from this decade and it is a major rarity in Uncirculated with just two or three known. In the middle to higher AU grades, the 1857-O is extremely scarce and there are probably fewer than twenty known. This example has nice luster with a slightly Prooflike finish below light green-gold color. There are a few scattered marks in the fields and a small tick or two on the face. There have been just three APR's for this date in AU53 since 1999.

1864 $20.00 PCGS AU53

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If you collect Civil War double eagles you probably already know that the rarity of the Philadelphia issues, in order, are the 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865 and the 1861. The 1864 is a very hard issue to locate in the middle to higher AU grades and it is especially hard to locate with original color and surfaces. This piece has wholly natural orange-gold and medium greenish color on the obverse and reverse with a great naked eye "look." The surfaces are moderately scuffed with fewer abrasions than usual for the date and were it not for a small scrape in the left obverse field (in front of the portrait) an AU55 grade would be entirely within the realm of possibility. There have been just six APR's for this date in AU53 since January 2008 and the last record for a PCGS example was Heritage 6/11: 4905 which brought $5,750>

1854-O $5.00 NGC AU55

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While common compared to such issues as the 1846-O and 1851-O half eagles, the 1854-O is far scarcer than the 1844-O. But the 1854-O is much harder to locate in higher grades than is generally realized and it is a genuinely scarce coin in the higher AU grades. This example has lovely delicate light green-gold color atop very lustrous surfaces and it is high end for the date and grade. I think this is a very undervalued issue, as are all choice No Motto half eagles from this mint.

1854 Small Date $20.00 NGC MS60

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Small Date variety. In most instances, a Type One double eagle graded MS60 is a wreck. These coins tend to be either very dull or excessively abraded. The present example is neither and, to the naked eye, it looks more like an MS62. This coin is bright and lustrous with lovely natural light green-gold color that changes slightly to reddish-gold as it is tilted towards a light source. What is most remarkable about this coin, though, is its immaculate nearly mark-free surfaces; certainly not what you expect to see on this date and certainly not in a 60 holder. The 1854 Small Date is extremely scarce in full Uncirculated and I typically don't see more than two or three per year (and almost all of these are in the MS60 to MS61 range). The last Uncirculated 1854 Small Date double eagle to sell at auction was the PCGS MS61 Goldberg 2/11: 1875 coin that brought $10,063. In my opinion, this NGC MS60 is a much more pleasing example with superior eye appeal.

1876-CC $10.00 NGC AU53

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In 1876-CC, the Carson City mint produced a total of 4,696 eagles. The survival rate for this issue is a bit higher than it is for the 1875-CC or 1877-CC eagles but there are still well under 100 known in all grades and none of these are higher than AU58. This is a pleasing AU53 example with nice natural reddish and light orange-gold color. The strike is above-average for the issue with less weakness than usual at the centers and uncommonly good detail on the neck of the eagle. There are a few small marks seen in the fields but none are deep or out of keeping with the assigned grade. Since 2000, there have been fourteen APR's for examples of this date graded AU53. These sales range from a low of $10,925 (back in 2000) to a high of $20,125. With AU58's basically unavailable and most AU55's showing a comparable appearance to this piece, I think the present example is perfect for the advanced collector who wants to own an above-average 1876-CC eagle for less than $20,000