LM-1, Rarity-3.. This variety is so named due to a defective punch of on the B of the word LIBERTY which makes it resemble a “K.” While not really rare from an overall perspective, this variety (and date) is very scarce in the higher AU grades and rare in Uncirculated. This specific example is characterized by deep multi-colored toning that favors sea-green and blue at the central obverse framed by reddish-gold; the reverse is silvery-white at the center and framed by deep peacock blue at the left border. The strike is sharp for the issue with uncharacteristically strong detail at the centers. There is a good deal of luster seen below the color and the surfaces are choice save for a faint old obverse scratch which runs vertically from the top curl through the portrait to the top of the drapery. As I mentioned above, this variety is usually seen in lower grades and not many are known in the higher AU range. Heritage 5/04: 6455, also graded AU58 by NGC, was comparable to this piece in terms of quality and it sold for $13,800 in a market where early type was not fully appreciated.

WB-101. Normal Date variety. Natural silvery-gray with some areas of deeper green at the right obverse and reverse. The surfaces are original and lustrous with few marks visible to the naked eye. For a No Motto New Orleans half dollar, this piece is well-produced with sharp detail seen on the head of Liberty and the radial lines in the stars. The 1856-O is among the more obtainable dates of this type in Uncirculated but it is still a scarce date in MS63. At current price levels, coins like this are one of the biggest bargains in all of American numismatics.

The 1853-D gold dollar is at least three times as scarce in AU as the 1849-D yet it does not bring a great premium. In my opinion, this makes it a good Type One type coin; especially as nice AU examples are still quite affordable. This is one of the more pleasing 1853-D dollars that I have seen in some time with deep brownish and reddish-gold colors, in similar hues, on the obverse and reverse. The strike is even and above-average while the surfaces are lustrous and free of problems. I can’t recommend this 1853-D highly enough for the new collector or the person who wants a solid Dahlonega gold dollar for under $3,000.

I’ve written this many times before but there are few gold coins in the $1,500-3,000 range that are better values than nice AU San Francisco gold dollars. These coins have low original mintages, low survival rates and they are extremely rare in full Mint State. This Choice AU example has a better strike than usual and it is very vibrant with good luster and attractive medium tangerine-gold color on the obverse and reverse. For less than $2,500 you’d be hard-pressed to find a nicer example than this.

BD-1.R-4. The 1830 has the highest mintage figure of any of the five issues of this type (just 4,540 were struck) but it is a rare coin in all grades as are all of the reduced size Capped Head Left quarter eagles. There are an estimated 100 or so known with most in the AU55 to MS61 range. Choice, original Uncirculated examples are quite rare and nearly all of the MS63’s that I have seen in recent years have been processed, lower end coins. The present example has been off the market for a number of years and it is exceptional for the date and grade. It has rich, natural yellow-gold color with some slight greenish overtones on the reverse. Both sides are very lightly marked and have great semi-prooflike luster. A few ticks here and there can be seen with light magnification but this coin is truly choice for an MS63 and it has the sort of eye appeal that is almost never found on the early gold offered for sale in this market. There are some recent auction trades for this date in this grade that are of interest. Heritage 1/10: 2096, graded MS63 by PCGS, was decidedly inferior to the present example and it sold for $29,900. Heritage 6/08: 1797 was a nice PCGS MS63 and it brought $34,500. This is the exact same figure that Stack’s 6/08: 2046 (an NGC MS63) realized as well. With choice early gold currently experiencing a very high level of demand (and there being very little available) I believe that this exceptional 1830 quarter eagle would make a superb addition to a date set or type set of early quarter eagles.

BD-1. R-4. Along with the 1829, the 1831 is the most available date of this type but with just around 100 survivors from the original mintage of 4,520, this can hardly be considered a “common date.” There are a few really exceptional 1831 quarter eagles known (I can recall an MS66 from a few years ago that was an astonishing coin…) but most of the really high end 1831’s are off the market in tightly-held collections making this choice MS63 just about the best available quality. This coin is semi-prooflike with lovely natural medium coppery-gold color that becomes deeper at the borders and which offers great contrast to the lighter centers. The surfaces have some marks that are amplified a bit by the depth of the reflection and the most noticeable mark is a tiny tick to the right of the second 1 in the date. Interestingly, there have been no examples of the 1831 in this grade sold at auction since February 2002. Given this coin’s great overall eye appeal and the fact that their is no date premium due to rarity, I think it is totally ideal for a type set.