The 1843 half eagle is a common issue in all circulated grades and it is available, from time to time, in the lower Uncirculated grades. It becomes scarce in properly graded MS62 and, like all No Motto half eagles, it is quite rare in MS63 and above. The present example is about as nice as an MS62 No Motto half eagle can be and, for what it’s worth, I tried it a number of times at both services in an attempt to get it into an MS63 holder. It is totally original with superb deep orange-gold and greenish hues on the obverse; the reverse tends a bit more towards reddish-orange and deep gold. There are just a few tiny old marks in the left obverse field while the reverse is clean and choice. It is remarkable to me that a collector can still purchase a superb quality mid-19th century U.S. gold coin for less than $4,000.

Just in case you were wondering if any original Charlotte half eagles still exist, I invite you to take a careful look at this lovely coin. Not only is it completely original, it has the type of coloration that, were it a silver coin, would earn it an enormous premium from a fanatical collector. This 1847-C half eagle has, in addition to its lovely orange-gold and greenish color, a very sharp strike with the sort of detail that is seen on few half eagles from this mint. There is a considerable amount of mint luster present and just a few light ticks in the fields. A small mark between stars eight and nine serves as clear identification. The 1847-C is among the more common Charlotte half eagles from the standpoint of overall rarity but it is extremely scarce in Uncirculated with fewer than a dozen properly graded coins known to exist. In the Heritage May 2010 Long Beach sale, a PCGS MS61 1847-C half eagle that was not even remotely as nice as this coin sold for $11,500.

The 1855-S is the first available half eagle from the San Francisco mint. It is reasonably common in lower grades but it is rare and very undervalued in properly graded AU58. Of the slabbed AU58′s that I’ve seen I think this is one of the two or three best looking and it is among the few that has not been processed. In addition, the surfaces are much more choice than usual. This date tends to come with very heavily abraded surfaces due to the fact that it saw heavy commercial usage in the booming California economy of the mid-to-late 1850′s. I have only seen one 1855-S half eagle that I felt was really Uncirculated (Bass II: 1077, graded MS62 by PCGS, that sold for a seemingly reasonable $17,250) and only a handful of AU58′s that I liked as much as the present example.

Medium D mintmark variety.. There are a few dates in the Dahlonega half eagle series that stand out as being good for type sets due to the fact that they tend to be better made than their counterparts. Among the later dates, the 1859-D is clearly an issue that can be found with good detail and nice overall eye appeal. Even by the standards of this date, however, this AU58 example is something special. It is choice and lustrous with very pleasing medium green-gold and rose colors on the obverse and reverse. The strike is simply exceptional with every last detail on both sides showing complete definition. The surfaces are also choice with just a few small ticks and two mint-made grease stains on the reverse above the eagle’s left wing that serve as identification. In my opinion, this piece likely never saw any circulation and it has the slightest amount of friction on the high spots keeping it out of the MS61-62 level. This attractive Dahlonega half eagle is perfect for the collector seeking a single high end piece for type purposes.

This fresh-to-the-market coin is, I believe, one of the most important San Francisco No Motto half eagles to be offered for sale this year. It was discovered a few years ago in the Northeast and it was in the personal collection of a knowledgeable dealer/collector who, after I harassed him for the last three years, finally traded it to me for another very special gold coin. If you know anything about this date, you are probably aware than most of the 50-60 that exist are very well worn with most under EF45. Properly graded AU’s are rare and in Uncirculated there are exactly two known: this one and Bass II: 1118 (ex Milas: 517 at $34,100) that has been graded MS62 by both PCGS and NGC and which sold for $30,800 back in October 1999. The Bass/Milas coin is just a hair nicer than this piece but not by much. It is totally original with superb rose and medium orange-gold hues atop exceedingly lustrous surfaces that have never been cleaned, dipped or toyed with. There are a few minor marks in the upper left obverse field and a very shallow scrape below stars four through six that does not detract. Most gold coins from this era in MS61 holders are marginal quality at best; this piece is extremely high end and it is all the more remarkable considering how low-end the typical 1859-S half eagle is. I hate to invoke an overworked numismatic cliche and state that this is a “very important” coin but it is and I strongly doubt if you will get a chance to own a more significant San Francisco half eagle than this in the near future!

While very common in the lower Uncirculated grades, the 1903-O eagle is quite rare in MS64 (there are probably around a dozen known in properly graded MS64) and extremely rare in MS5 and above. Considering that an MS65, if it were available, would probably run in the $15,000+ range, this nice PCGS MS64 seems like especially good value to me. It has very clean, very frosty surfaces with nice light rose and orange-gold shadings on the obverse and reverse. A few tiny nicks can be seen in the fields but this piece is very solid for the grade and it represents just about the best available quality for a New Orleans eagle.