1857-D $5 MS61 PCGS. Medium mintmark. Variety 34-CC. (per ...

Description

Very Rare PCGS MS61 1857-D Half Eagle

1857-D $5 MS61 PCGS. Medium mintmark. Variety 34-CC. (per Doug Winter's second edition and revised attribution system). This date is found with a medium mintmark and large mintmark reverse. It appears that the latter is considerably scarcer.

RARITY INFORMATION: The 1857-D is among the rarest of the late date Dahlonega half eagles. There are 120-130 examples known with around two dozen of these in AU and another five or six in Uncirculated. The finest known is the Duke's Creek/Bass coin, which is graded MS63 by PCGS. There are three separate pieces graded MS62 by PCGS as of November 2003 and two that we are aware of that have been graded MS61 by PCGS.

STRIKE: The 1857-D half eagle is not generally a well struck coin although it tends to be better detailed than the 1856-D. The Green Pond coin is very well struck for the issue. The obverse has a sharp center including uncommonly good detail on the curls around the face. The centers of a number of the stars are flat at the centers and Liberty's bun is not completely brought up. The reverse is very sharp with no weakness noted on the feathers or the denticles.

SURFACES: Except for some light hairlines, the surfaces are very clean for the grade. There appear to be no deep or detracting abrasions. Some removable haziness is present on both sides.

LUSTER: The luster is frosty and somewhat subdued from the depth of the coloration that is present.

COLORATION: Deep, dusky orange-gold color covers the obverse and the reverse. If this were removed, it is possible that the eye appeal of this coin would improve significantly.

EYE APPEAL: This is a well struck, clean, and lustrous coin whose eye appeal is somewhat compromised by its deep coloration. As stated above, this piece appears to have great potential if given a bit of TLC by its new owner.

COMPARABLES: In our January 2002 FUN Auction we sold an NGC MS62 as lot 8140 for $12,650. In our January 2003 Ashland City Collection Sale, we offered a PCGS MS62 as lot 4798 and it realized $14,950.

PEDIGREE: Obtained via private treaty from Robert Hughes in 1999. Earlier Ex: Steve Contursi; North Georgia Collection/1999 FUN (Heritage, 1/99), lot 7711, where it brought $10,638. This is the plate coin in the second edition of the Winter book on Dahlonega gold and it is listed in the current Condition Census as tied for fifth finest known with a few other coins. (#8273) (Registry values: P3)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25V4, PCGS# 8273, Greysheet# 9023)

Weight: 8.36 grams

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper

Note for clients in the European Union: This lot is considered by the European Union to be “investment gold”. We believe that it meets the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC and thus should be exempt from import VAT regardless of the selling price. Any questions or concerns about VAT should be addressed to your accountant or local tax authority.

View Certification Details from PCGS