1866 $5 MS63 NGC....

Description

Singular Select 1866 Motto Five

1866 $5 MS63 NGC. All 1866 half eagles struck at Philadelphia were of the With Motto variety. While the denomination had healthy, if modest mintages at San Francisco in the 1860s, production at the mother Mint was consistently low, in the four-figures, and with business strike production of just 6,700 pieces, the 1866 is no exception. Garrett and Guth (2006) describe it as " ... very rare in all grades, and Very Fine or Extremely Fine is the usual grade seen."
As one might infer, this issue is a prize regardless of condition, and Mint State examples are especially elusive and desirable. Between them, NGC and PCGS have had just eight certification events for Mint State examples of the 1866 Motto half eagle (8/08), six of which are at NGC: one in MS60, four in MS61, and the present piece in MS63, not only the finest known to NGC, but finer than either of the grades awarded by PCGS (an MS61 and an MS62). It is a recently certified piece, one that does not appear in the 2006 edition of Garrett and Guth, which lists MS61 as the finest grade known.
Like many of the other top examples of this issue, the Select representative offered here shows a degree of reflectivity in the fields, as well as characteristic sharpness on the portrait and eagle. The radiant yellow-gold surfaces cede to champagne-orange close to the margins. Though wispy abrasions and a handful of shallow reed marks affect the fields, the central devices are remarkably clean, and the overall visual appeal is highly impressive. For the Liberty half eagle collector who demands the finest, this is the only option.(Registry values: P3)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25VZ, PCGS# 8311, GSID# 8912)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 8.36 grams
AGW: 0.24188oz
Mintage: 6,700

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.

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