1860 $5.00 NGC AU58 CAC

Most of the gold coinage dated 1860 from Philadelphia follows a similar pattern of rarity: it tends to be available in VF-EF grades but it is very scarce in properly graded AU58 and quite rare in Uncirculated. The half eagle of this year trails only the eagle as the rarest 1860-dated Philadelphia issue and it is quite underrated in AU58 as the current PCGS and NGC population figures suggest. This lightly circulated example shows good luster and a very sharp strike with full details seen at the centers. There are some scattered marks in the fields which is typical for the issue. For the money, this coin represents excellent value as do many of the No Motto half eagles from this mint.

CAC has approved two examples in this grade with none finer. A total of five have been approved for the date in all grades combined.

1854-C $2.50 NGC AU55 CAC

The 1854-C is the first of three very difficult mid-1850's quarter eagles from this mint. Only 7,295 were struck and most of the 100-125 surviving examples are well-worn and lacking in eye appeal due to extensive abrasions and poor quality of strike. This is one of the nicer circulated 1854-C quarter eagles that I have seen in some time as it shows a good overall quality of strike, a majority of its natural frosty mint luster and very attractive fiery reddish-gold toning about much of the obverse and reverse periphery. This date is rare and quite expensive in Uncirculated, so for most collectors a Choice AU such as this is a smart choice for their Charlotte quarter eagle set. Very few AU55's have sold at auction in the last five years. The only two records, both for PCGS coins, were $6,613 in February 2012 (Goldberg) and $6,325 in January 2008 (Heritage).

CAC has approved two 1854-C quarter eagles in AU55 with one finer. A total of six in all grades have been approved.

1850-D $5.00 PCGS EF40

The 1850-D is among the scarcer half eagles from this mint both in terms of overall and high grade rarity. It is one of the single hardest issues to find with good eye appeal due to poor quality of strike and most survivors having been cleaned. This example is fully original with deep orange-gold and green colors that change to purple as the coin is tilted towards the light. The mintmark is not as sharp as on other issues of this era but it is fully legible. A far above-average example of this challenging issue.

1840 $2.50 PCGS AU58 CAC

This numismatically significant issue (it is the first Liberty Head quarter eagle from the Philadelphia mint) is a scarce and misunderstood date. There were 18,859 produced but the survival rate is quite low with maybe as few as 150-200 known. It is usually seen in VF-EF grades and the few that are known in Uncirculated come from a small hoard found in the 1990's that contained some superb frosty pieces in the MS62 to MS64 range. In the higher circulated grades, this date is rare and extremely underrated especially with original color and surfaces. This is the first 1840 quarter eagle I can recall having seen with deep, attractive color and the rich reddish-gold and green-gold hues that rest on both signs are just marvelous. This coin has no real wear, just some slight friction from numismatic handling and its eye appeal is off the charts. If you go strictly by auction records and price guides, this coin is going to seem expensive but it is one of just two graded by PCGS in AU58 and the other, ex Bass II: 321, brought $3,451 all the way back in 1999. I really like this coin and if I were a collector with a budget of around $5,000 per item, this is exactly what I would be buying.

This is the only CAC approved 1840 quarter eagle in AU58. There is one finer: an MS64.

1850 $20.00 PCGS AU50 CAC

Its status as a first collectable year of issue makes the 1850 among the most sought-after Type One double eagles. This date has become rather pricey in the higher AU grades but nice AU50's still seem reasonable to me. This is an uncommonly clean coin for the date and grade with very few abrasions seen on satiny surfaces. The color is a nice natural yellow-gold shade and there is plentiful luster seen on both sides. Here's an interesting factoid about this issue: of the 134 that have been graded by PCGS in AU50, only six (or less than 5%) have been approved by CAC. Even factoring in resbmissions, I think its safe to say that fewer than one in ten examples of this date in AU50 are nice enough to be stickered by CAC.

From the RYK Collection.

1876-CC $20.00 PCGS EF40

Old Green Holder. Graded many years but still an accurate EF40 in my opinion. Slightly Prooflike with some medium orange-gold color seen over typically abraded surfaces. An affordable CC double eagle.

1844-C $2.50 PCGS VF25 CAC

While "only" a VF25, this piece is so clean and evenly worn that it has the eye appeal of coins that I have seen graded ten or even fifteen points higher. I think PCGS was hard on this coin due to the fact that it mistook a typical strike for the date with wear. This coin is totally original with great color and plenty of dirt clinging to the recesses. While the 1844-C gets little or no date premium in this grade, it is many times scarcer than an 1847-C (the most common Charlote quarter eagle) or the 1858-C. This coin has not been sent to CAC in its current holder but I believe it would be approved if this is done.

From the RYK Collection.

1848-D $2.50 PCGS VF30 CAC

I'm not certain that there's such a thing as a "Gem VF" branch mint gold coin but if there is, this example would qualify as such. It is evenly worn with very nice deep natural green-gold color that becomes iridescent at the obverse border; the reverse lettering is full of natural dirt. This piece would grade at least VF35 were it not for a small natural planchet flaw from star seven to the hair and a small dig on the rim above the tenth star. A choice, affordable Dahlonega quarter eagle that would be perfect for a collector just beginning to "get the bug" for Dahlonega gold coins.

CAC has approved this one coin in VF30 with just five finer for a total of six in all grades. From the RYK Collection.

1853-C $1.00 PCGS EF45 CAC

Affordable, collector-grade gold dollars from Charlotte are hard to find for two reasons: they generally didn't circulate enough to be worn down to the EF grade range and their small size meant that their chance to survive this long in circulation was far less than, say, a half eagle. This is a wholesome, original example with nice even green-gold color that shows some light orange accents in the fields. A small rough patch in the upper left obverse field appears to be mint-made. Only two PCGS EF45 examples of this issue have appeared at auction since 2006.

CAC has approved just one in this grade with six better. From the RYK Collection.