Large Date Variety. As most collectors know, any No Motto eagle in MS63 or higher is rare. New Orleans eagles in this grade range are all but unheard of. Only two dates are sometimes seen in this grade, the 1847-O and 1851-O and even those are very rare. But to find an 1854-O Large Date in MS63 is almost unheard of. There are approximately seven to nine known in Uncirculated but this includes some pieces from the S.S. Republic and at least a few in MS60 to MS61 that I think are marginally “new.” There are exactly two known in MS63 and none finer. PCGS has graded a single example which I sold to a California collector in 2005; it is originally ex Heritage 1/99: 8181 and it sold for $31,050 back then. This second example is also a coin that I handled before and it is listed as coin #2 in the Condition Census in my 2006 book “Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint, 1838-1906.” It has been off the market for at least a decade and I was able to reacquire it at the recent Long Beach show. It has an amazing naked-eye “look” with glittering semi-prooflike surfaces that are free of chatter or friction and which show rich yellow-gold color. There are a few light lines on the surfaces and a touch of mint-made planchet roughness on the reverse but this piece has an amazing appearance that is unlike nearly any other example of this variety that I can recall seeing. Usually, the texture of this date is frosty and it has a sunken, slightly concave appearance. This piece has a great strike and its “look” suggests that it is one of the very first struck of this variety. Coins of this quality and rarity are seldom available these days and when they are they typically appear at auction where they tend to bring crazy prices. If you are a serious collector of New Orleans gold, Liberty Head eagles or you just want something special to put away, give this coin some serious consideration.

With a mintage of just 5,000 coins, the 1857-O is among the rarest No Motto eagles. It is an issue that remains unknown in Uncirculated and there are only three to five that I am aware of which can properly be graded as AU58. For most advanced collectors of No Motto eagles, AU55 is the finest grade in which this date is realistically available and choice, original examples are offered about once every two to four years. The present piece is fresh to the market and it is characterized by lovely intense reddish gold color at the borders which frames rich yellow-gold centers. There is some residual prooflike luster seen in the protected areas and the surfaces lack the dense abrasions that characterize this issue. The last APR for an AU55 1857-O eagle is Heritage 3/10: 2438, graded by NGC, which went for $6,900 but which was not as nice as this coin. Before this, there were only two other slabbed AU55′s sold since 2000. Obviously, this is a rare coin and it is an important opportunity to fill a hole that exists in most New Orleans eagle sets.

While common in all circulated grades, the 1861 is scarce in Uncirculated and very rare in MS62 and above. It is the only Civil War eagle that is even remotely a possibility for the collector to obtain in Uncirculated and I believe that the population figures for MS60 to MS62 coins are way inflated, giving a false sense of availability for an issue that is actually quite rare and seldom offered for sale at auction or private treaty. This example is choice and fresh with excellent frosty luster below natural light orange-gold color. There are enough small, scattered marks on the obverse and reverse to limit the grade but this is a truly attractive example with good eye appeal.

I have never seen a better example of this date than this coin and it is closer to grading MS64 than any 1893-O eagle I know of. Every MS63 1893-O eagle that I am aware of has tons of abrasions in the fields; to the point that the luster can be impaired. This piece looks more like a 1903-O than an 1893-O with relatively few marks of note, rich, frosty luster and lovely light rose, green and orange-gold color. If this coin had graded MS64, it would have been a “pop 1″ example with a potential value of well into five figures. I don’t often get excited about Condition Rarities but this is a great coin that deserves to be in the finest collection of New Orleans eagles.

The 1860 double eagle sells for a reasonably small premium over the 1861 in this grade yet it is many times more scarce. And, relative scarcity aside, this “super slider” is as nice an AU58 Type One double eagle as you are going to find with great luster, lovely natural rose and orange-gold color and very pleasing surfaces which are far less abraded than normal for this issue. In fact, this piece has much better eye appeal than many Type One double eagles that are graded MS60 and MS61. A small grease stain on the reverse, located below the right scroll end, is mentioned for the sake of accuracy.

The 1872-CC, like the 1871-CC, is an issue that was used in commerce and, as a result, it is not often seen today in grades above EF45 to AU50. It is extremely rare in Uncirculated and lustrous, properly graded AU55 to AU58 coins are rare and in great demand. This piece is outstanding for the date and grade with bright, lustrous surfaces that have a nice rich yellow-gold hue. There is more than enough luster present to strongly suggest that this coin could grade AU58 but I think there are just a few too many tiny nicks on the obverse for it to do so at PCGS. The eye appeal of this coin is far better than average and unless you have ample patience and a big budget to buy an Uncirculated example, this 1872-CC is really about as nice as the date comes. Of the twenty-two finer that PCGS has graded, only two (an MS60 and an MS62) are in Uncirculated holders. A rare and important early date Carson City double eagle.