i just purchased the finest known example of this date, a PCGS MS63+, for $43,700 at the recent Goldberg 2/12 sale of the Helem collection. The present example, while obviously not in the same league, is still far, far above-average for the date and grade. Not to mention the fact that it is around one sixth of the price (!) The 1862-S is among the rarest SF quarter eagles in all grades and it is extremely rare in Uncirculated with just two or three known. I am aware of maybe four or five properly graded AU58′s of which this example is among the nicest. It is well struck, lightly worn and lustrous with just a few small marks seen on the obverse. It is likely that this coin never saw actual circulation and the reason that it grades “58″ is due to some handling and light rubbing on the high spots. Coins like this seem undervalued to me in comparison to the C and D mint quarter eagles from the 1850′s.

Unlike the half eagle and eagle of this year, the 1872-S is not an impossible issue to locate in Uncirculated. That said, it is not common and nice AU’s are undervalued, in my opinion. This piece is choice and original with a good deal of luster visible below rich natural orange-gold and reddish hues on the obverse and reverse.

Even if you have no interest in purchasing this coin, click on the photo icon and take a long glimpse at its appearance: it has the “look” that I find more appealing than on any other gold coin. The luster is very intense with a hybrid appearance that combines rich frostiness with flashy reflective luster. This excellent appearance is compounded by superb natural medium yellow-gold color that shades towards rose and green hues as the coin tilts towards a light source. The obverse is a virtual Gem in appearance; the reverse shows a few very hard-to-find marks at TE in STATES. The 1877 is a rare, low mintage issue with just 1,652 struck. It is a bit less rare overall than this tiny figure would suggest but it is rare in Uncirculated and very rare in MS65 or higher. There are no Gems known and maybe three exist in MS64 with the last one, Heritage 10/11: 4731 (graded by NGC and approved by CAC) having been purchased by me for $14,950. No PCGS MS63 1877 quarter eagles have sold at auction since October 1999 when Bass II: 593 brought $8,740. A great coin that combines beauty, rarity and eye appeal in one neat package.

Let’s say that you want a nice PCGS MS63 Three Dollar gold piece for your type set. You can buy a common date like an 1874 or an 1878 in this grade for around $5,000-5,500. Or you can spend an additional few thousand dollars and buy a coin that is genuinely scarce in this grade. To me, that’s what makes this choice 1859 three dollar such an appealing coin. It is totally original and very high end for the grade with rich luster that is dusted with pale green-gold and rose shades. There are a few ticks in the left field and at the central reverse but the naked-eye appearance rivals coins of this date that I have seen in MS64. The 1859 is scarce in MS63, rare in MS64 and virtually unavailable in Gem. The last PCGS MS63 to sell at auction was Heritage 12/11: 4505 that brought $7,763.

Only 1,000 business strikes were produced. The 1880 is an issue that has been popular ever since it was struck. Quantities were saved by contemporary collectors, dealers and hoarders who knew of its small mintage and speculated on it become a rarity someday. It did, a century later, and today’s collectors like this date not only for its low mintage but its appearance. This lovely borderline Gem has superb rose, green-gold and orange colors atop vibrant, frosty surfaces. A few small abrasions on the obverse narrowly remove this coin from a higher grade but it has superb overall eye appeal. It is my belief that the PCGS and NGC populations for this date are way inflated, especially in MS64 and MS65 grades. A fantastic coin for a type collector and the exact sort of a coin that, if this series begins to regain its past popularity, has great upside.

BD-6. Rarity-2. It is actually harder to find early gold in lower “collector grades” (i.e, VF and EF) than it is in the higher “investor grades” and this is due to the fact that these issues tended not to circulate heavily. Nice EF Bust Right half eagles are always popular and this EF45 should generate a good degree of interest, especially because there is no date premium for this issue. The surfaces show even natural deep green-gold color with some dirt in the protected areas and there are no major disturbances other than an old scrape in the right obverse field. The 1806 Knobbed 6 is perhaps the most available Bust Right half eagle in all grades and it is a perfect choice for a type collector or for a collector with good taste but a limited budget.