1908 $5 MS68 PCGS....

Description

1908 Liberty Head Half Eagle, MS68
Unimprovable Quality

1908 $5 MS68 PCGS. David Akers recorded an early appearance of a 1908 Liberty half eagle in the Jenks auction, by Henry Chapman, conducted from December 7th through the 17th, 1921. A check of that amazing auction catalog and the prices realized revealed the following information about the Liberty Head half eagle design and the 1908 example in the auction: "Bare head of Liberty, with diadem inscribed LIBERTY; around 13 stars and date. R. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. FIVE D. Eagle with shield on breast, olive branch in right talon, and three arrows in left. Scroll on reverse inscribed IN GOD WE TRUST. Lot 5781a: Head of Liberty. Last year of this design, and few coined. Uncirculated. Mint lustre." The price realized in the auction was $5.00 (face value).

Although the present 1908 Liberty half eagle is not the same coin offered in that early Jenks sale, it is interesting to see how a similar coin fares today. Our last offering of a PCGS Superb Gem, 1908 Liberty five was in 2010 at the September Long Beach Signature sale, lot 5385, which brought $27,600.00, although it was an MS67 example. The current coin is a fantastic MS68, for which there are no auction appearances to use for comparison.

The Jenks sale of 1921 stated "few were coined" but, in truth, a healthy mintage of 421,874 pieces was accomplished as a farewell to the Liberty Head design. It would be no surprise if this coin was the single finest from the mintage, given its dazzling eye appeal. Rolling, intense mint luster illuminates orange-gold surfaces with fully struck motifs. Lime-green and rose-gold highlights intermix with the shifting luster.

PCGS has certified just two pieces in MS68, and NGC only a single example. Neither service has seen one finer (3/14).(Registry values: N1)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25ZE, PCGS# 8418, Greysheet# 8954)

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