Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 36

Pre-Long Beach Coin and Currency Auction

$5 Liberty

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 3806		1840-O $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61. Well struck. Only 40,120 minted. Narrow Mill, small O Mintmark. A choice, frosty yellow gold beauty with strong luster and a sharp strike. An unsung rarity among early Liberty half eagles, easily as rare in Mint State as a Charlotte or Dahlonega issue of the date despite its larger mintage of 40,120 pieces. The 1840-O is typically found in circulated grades, with AU coins being quite rare, and Mint State pieces being of unusual rarity. An outstanding example of the date, a coin with lots of charm and, judging by the population figures, one that has strong claims to finest known honors. A prime opportunity! As a rule, the early gold issues of the New Orleans Mint are as rare in Mint State as their contemporary issues from the sister mints in Charlotte and Dahlonega, although they are not so well appreciated as those issues. PCGS #05363660. Pop 3; 2 in 62; 1 in 63. (PCGS # 8200) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3807		1841-C $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61. Bold strike with semi reflective surfaces. Nice light gold toning. Only 21,467 struck. Pop 4; 1 in 62. A blazing beauty of a coin, rich with orange toned luster! The satiny surfaces are afire with bright volatile cartwheel luster that looks as though it would like nothing better than to explode with a loud bang. Hard to believe on a coin in Mint State 61, but there it is. Well struck for the date, no one who has not seen this handsome five up close can imagine the detail we detect under a low power glass, and easily matching or surpassing others in this grade. If only it were possible for other, later date C-mint gold coins to be struck as boldly and as resolutely as this! (PCGS # 8203) . Estimated Value $13,000 - 15,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3808		1842-C $5 Liberty. Small date. PCGS graded AU-50. Lightly toned. Very rare date. Pop 1; 11 finer. This is a choice, greenish gold to orange-tinted example of a very scarce early C-mint half eagle. The bold strike is impressive for the series since Charlotte's quality control declined by the late 1840s. This has very nice relief and both sides are typically smooth, blemish free surfaces for the grade. Only 80-90 pieces are believed known today in all grades of this rare issue with perhaps as few as five or six in Uncirculated condition (PCGS # 8208) . Estimated Value $29,000 - 31,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3809		1842-C $5 Liberty. Large date. NGC graded MS-62. Untoned and well struck. Scarce date in mint state. Extremely choice surfaces and broad, framing rims with nearly complete dentils (only those at the lower right lack detail). Lustrous medium gold with strong olive undertones. A satiny beauty from the Charlotte Mint and a prize for the collector of C-mint half eagles. Nicely detailed in all places. What is important about a rarity like this is that so few are traced in Uncirculated condition. Perhaps just five to 10 Mint State examples of the date are known. Douglas Winter gives this date a High Rarity-7 rating in Uncirculated. One of the most desirable Charlotte Mint offerings in this sale. Walter Breen allocated a mintage of 23,589 to the Large Date variety, which is over four times that of the Small Date. Douglas Winter estimates that 35 to 40 are known of the Small Date and 65 to 70 of the Large Date, the opposite assessment. Concerning the date, during this post-Jacksonian period in our history, date sizes were in flux at the Philadelphia Mint, and certain denominations in the years 1842-1846 are found with variable sized date punches. Pop 1; 4 finer at NGC. The year 1842 marked a major advance in painless surgery when anesthesia was used for the first time in an operation (Dr. Crawford Long performed the operation using ether). Ether was discovered in 1275 by Spanish chemist Raymundus Lullius. This new discovery was given the name "sweet vitriol." In 1540, the synthesis of ether was described by German scientist Valerius Cordus. At about the same time, Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus -- a name famous to many Americans -- discovered the hypnotic effects of ether. Later, in 1730, German scientist W.G. Frobenius changed the name of sweet vitriol to ether. Estimated Value $16,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3810		1842-D $5 Liberty. Small date. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck with even toning on both sides. Pop 4; none finer at PCGS. Well detailed for this more difficult D-mint half eagle, a low mintage year, with soft golden-brown highlights that add considerably to the appeal of this nearly Mint State 63, clean surfaced specimen. Devices as "sharp as a two-edged sword" as they say, which is most unusual, but because this is an early date, and possibly an early strike from new dies, it shows excellent detail on both sides (PCGS # 8210) . Estimated Value $12,000 - 14,000. Ex: Ashland City. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3811		1842-D $5 Liberty. Small date. NGC graded AU-58. Numerous light contact marks scattered about. Traces of luster remain. Still, pleasing golden color imbues this scarce C-mint half eagle, so even if it doesn't win a beauty prize, it has a nice life of its own. Add a high degree of sharp detail and the appeal is very strong. Pop 26; 7 better. Estimated Value $5,000 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $5,894
Lot 3812		1842-D $5 Liberty. Large date. NGC graded AU-58. Lightly toned amd well struck. Light to moderate marks on both sides. Scarce variety, the large date. Pop 3; 1 in 61. An very lustrous if well abraded specimen, something of a benchmark for the few other examples that share this lofty grade in terms of its sharp detail. While the strike is bold and crisp, it is not quite full but the only weak area seems to be the arrow feather above the eagle's talon. Clearly, this coin is above-average in all its components. You had to have a rugged constitution to live in, and drive around on the roads of America back in 1842. Charles Dickens, the famous English author, visited America and traveled to Toledo and Sandusky, Ohio the year this half eagle was minted, where he encountered "corduroy roads" which he described as being constructed by "… throwing trunks of trees into a marsh and leaving them to settle…." (PCGS # 8211) . Estimated Value $18,000 - 20,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $17,825
Lot 3813		1843 $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-64. Boldly struck with nice orange golden toning. Effusive, indeed even luxurious quantities of mint frost in amounts so copious it borders on sinful, and warm flaxen-gold to orange-gold color. In light of that, we can also say this piece is nicely struck with extremely full details on both sides. One of fewer than 135 pieces believed to remain from an original circulation strike mintage of 44,353. Of those that do exist we estimate that six to nine are in Mint State today, some having advanced from AU. Choice, lovely specimens like this always excite bidders. Pop 2; none finer at PCGS. (PCGS # 8213) . Estimated Value $15,000 - 17,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $17,250
Lot 3814		1844-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-63. An especially bold strike with grand eye appeal. This is a lovely, healthy-glowing MS63 example, whose full-color obverse and reverse add immeasurably to the beauty, beams and resonates with frosty luster. Struck with not quite the required mathematical precision by the dies at all of the stars, the main central areas are complete by an successful strike left after the rebound of the dies: we see full sharp hair waves above the brow and in the hair bun (with clear rounded beads in the hair); full wing and leg detail on the eagle, diminished only slightly by some flattening on the eagle's neck feathers. There is a light die break through the first A in AMERICA to the wing. The mintmark and all letters are nicely defined, indeed bold. Only 23,631 minted. Pop 2; none higher at NGC. Estimated Value $28,000 - 32,000. Ex: Ashland City. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3815		1844-D $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck and untoned. Mint luster evident. 88,982 minted. Nice looking coin. Pop 4; 2 in 63; 1 in 64. Uncommonly smooth for the issue, this frosty textured example displays warm greenish-gold surface covered in outstanding luster for the moderate grade assigned by PCGS. Desirable with this bold strike, as well, each star is sharp, all of the hair on Liberty is also bold, with a knife-edge to the coronet. Turning next to the depth of detail on the reverse, this has such impressive boldness that when we first examined it we couldn't believe our eyes! You will too, and the photographs don't lie, the coin is outstanding for a half eagle made at the Dahlonega Mint. It is difficult to be romantic when you are talking about a cold gold coin, but this 1844-D has a certain beauty about it that causes a person to fall in love with it at first inspection. Put into the right surroundings in a museum class set of half eagles, it rises far above the garden variety Uncs (PCGS # 8221) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $12,075
Lot 3816		1845-D $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61. Nice strike and untoned. Semi reflective fields. Choice for the grade. Pop 5; 2 in 62; 3 in 63; 1 in 65. The frosty textured surfaces are awash in rich orange-gold colors, and both sides are uncommonly well preserved for this often indifferently cared for D-mint type. Struck with meticulous care by the dies as seen in the sharp stars and equally impressive centers including the eagle's neck and leg detail. Bidders might as well accept the fact that you can nail up a horseshoe for luck or pray to the gods, but it will be the one with the highest bid who lands this beautiful half eagle from the Dahlonega Mint. Do not let the tension in the room daunt you from bidding (PCGS # 8224) . Estimated Value $8,000 - 9,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $9,200
Lot 3817		1846-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Lusterous, lightly toned to a honey color gold. Regarding this date, the clearest details are found both in the peripheral areas and in the centers, which are unusually choice. Pop 10; 7 finer. Estimated Value $6,500 - 7,500. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3818		1846-D/D $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-64. Old holder. Bold strike with lovely rich golden toning. A flashy coin with lots of luster. Pop 1; 1 in 66. Variety 15-L (Per Doug Winter's second edition and revised attribution system). Only 125 to 150 pieces of this scarce Dahlonega Mint issue are thought to have survived in all grades, and in Uncirculated condition authorities in the series believe only 8 to 9 examples exist. With a daringly double-punched mintmark, this example, quite possibly the second highest on the Condition Census behind a MS66 example. It has bright lustrous greenish gold surfaces, shifting to a satiny appearance on the devices and especially near the peripheries. A number of faint wispy marks in the fields and a few minor blemishes are noted on Liberty's cheek. Estimated Value $25,000 - 30,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $28,750
Lot 3819		1846-D/D $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61 PQ. Nice flashy coin with semi reflective fields. Well Struck. Pop 7; 2 in 62; 1 in 63; 1 in 65. Pleasant, almost cheery greenish gold satin frost display lots of fresh gold color. Broadly and well struck on the legends and main device, which is usual, including full stars, with a bold set of detail at the centers. Virtually no marks present on the obverse, and only a small scuff in the field by the eagle's head (another lighter mark below the wing near a berry). Bidders will need no coaching when this handsome coin comes up for bids (PCGS # 8229) . Estimated Value $9,000 - 11,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $9,775
Lot 3820		1847 $5 Liberty. MS-60 Plus. Nice and lustrous. Lightly toned. There is everything positive to say about the pleasing warm gold surfaces of this 1847 No Motto five since they are quite attractive, a quality almost unobtainable. There is an orange streak by star 6, but otherwise the color is fresh and original. The mint frost tends glow with a subtle radiance over each side. A sharp coin. Estimated Value $800 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3821		1847-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Very well struck with only slight weakness on the arrow feathers; the eagle, its neck and wings, legs and shield, is outstanding for this often problematic issue. Full featured half eagles from the Charlotte Mint are all the rage with collectors since they are few and far between. The present example also boasts nice frosty luster within the devices, around the stars and legends, and spanning the surface in all directions well out into the field. Only 84,151 minted. Pop 32; 14 finer. Estimated Value $5,500 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3822		1848-C $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Light golden toning. Some mint luster still visable. 64,472 minted. Pop 1; 1 in 64. This attractively toned representative is mostly green-gold in color with sleek, bright metallic frosted features whose brownish "old gold" tint points to long storage in an old collector's coin chest or cabinet. Struck with systematic exactness throughout excepting the usual weak areas in the center such as the top stars and the central vertical zone of the eagle, it sits near the high end of the Condition Census for a Charlotte mint date. A rarity in this grade (PCGS # 8237) . Estimated Value $20,000 - 22,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3823		1848-D $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Well struck and mostly untoned with a light gold color. Only 47,465 minted. Pop 1; The finest graded by PCGS. There is much to say about the extremely beautiful, graceful surfaces of this coin since they are nearly untouched by marks, a quality almost unimaginable in an early D-mint half eagle. The mint frost is glowing with intensity over each side. There is just a bit of light patina as well, warm orange on a yellowish to slightly green colored surface. Nicely struck with all stars full, and unlike those which have the roundness and flat details in the centers, especially the eagle, this exemplary coin is bold. Just study the photographs and see if we aren't giving you the straight line. Life in an auction sale during the time when a few truly impressive coins get sold can be filled with a blend of emotions, mainly pleasant. Fate, in its capacity to amaze, will likely be in control. Watch the bidders react when the auctioneer calls this lot! (PCGS # 8238) . Estimated Value $20,000 - 22,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $21,850
Lot 3824		1849-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. 64,823 minted. Nice strike and mostly untoned. Pop 20; 21 finer at NGC. Sun-fresh gold to greenish gold color, indeed glowing with ample remaining gold satin luster, and very attractive with smooth, relatively clean and mar-free surfaces. The only weak spot in the strike is seen at the centers, as commonly occurs with both Dahlonega and Charlotte mint half eagles for some reason (PCGS # 8241) . Estimated Value $5,500 - 6,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3825		1849-D $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-62. Well struck and untoned. Lovely greenish gold luster evident on both sides establishing the basis of great eye appeal. On first examination the cataloger of this piece was met with a suddenness that stopped our eloquence as if a tap had been turned off, this coin has that sort of fresh and booming originality! Only 39,036 minted. Pop 5; 1 in 65. Estimated Value $13,000 - 15,000. Ex: Ashland City. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $14,088
Lot 3826		1850-D $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61 PQ. Lovely rich shades of gold toning. Well struck with semi prooflike surfaces. Great eye appeal. 43,984 minted. Pop 2; none finer at PCGS. Citron-rose in color in the field surrounding Liberty, with lovely greenish gold topping the profile and so giving it contrast. The surfaces exhibit eye-opening striking definition as well. The dies left their sharp impression behind without the least weakness or imprecision on Liberty. Only a few stars on the lower left are weak. As far as the eagle goes, it display well featured wing feathers, some minor rounding on the neck and leg feathers, but all in all is a standout among half eagles of this date and mint. The man at the front podium who is conducting this sale will likely see a show of hands in the room as bidding begins. And the coin will deserve whatever price it earns since it is a showy one, and all original at that (PCGS # 8245) . Estimated Value $25,000 - 30,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3827		1850-D $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Lightly toned with some luster evident. Normal light surface abrasions plus a single mark above the 13th star. A hard to believe array of rich golden hues enhance the surfaces of this handsome AU58 half eagle from the Dahlonega branch mint. A small region of striking weakness is seen at the hair braid below the coronet, the neck feathers on the eagle, but the present prize is still exceptionally beautiful. Only 43,984 minted. Pop 22; 4 in MS61. Estimated Value $7,500 - 8,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3828		1850-D $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-55. Mostly untoned with some random marks in the fields and on the devices. Smooth-edged devices throughout, including centers, rather than a keen, knife-edge strike with a minor lack of definition in some of the hair braid above Liberty's brow, and transferring over to the eagle's neck and leg feathers. But for the most part, everything is finely detailed on this attractive 1850-D half eagle. 43,984 minted. Pop 28; 22 in 58; 4 in 61. Estimated Value $3,500 - 4,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,600
Lot 3829		1851-C $5 Liberty. VF-30. Cleaned. Some tiny rim marks on obv around 2 o'clock. Early greenish gold color for this scarcer C Mint half eagle. The color often depends on the alloy and alloy impurities in the melt, with Charlotte gold often greenish in hue due to larger amounts of silver than copper, plus traces of non precious metals from the native bullion. Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,400. The Victor Kramer Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $978
Lot 3830		1852-C $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-64. Well struck with semi reflective surfaces. A wonderful "C" mint gold coin. Pop 6; none finer at PCGS. Clean as a whistle for this grade, as one would look forward to from the grade, only a few slight contact marks present; however, what really makes this break free from others is its lovely greenish gold cartwheel luster that rolls around each side. Even the finest, most delicate detail is seen on this coin struck with uncommon exactness for a traditionally weak issue; were it only possibly for all the design to be as sharp as the lettering and outer areas. Any softness is centered on the eagle's neck feathers; the wings, legs, claws and leaves are all nicely detailed (PCGS # 8251) . The story of the Charlotte Mint begins with the discovery of gold in that part of the country. Colonial-Era America had precious little in the way of domestic mines, leading to a general shortage of metals of all kinds. This situation persisted throughout the Revolution and the early years of the republic. Then, after 1802, as more and more gold discoveries were unearthed, the area grew in both wealth and prestige. By the 1830s, there was agitation on the part of North Carolina's congressional delegation to establish a branch of the United States Mint at Charlotte, the seat of Mecklenburg County to strike into coins the large flow of bullion from the mines. Legislation creating the Charlotte branch of the U. S. Mint was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on March 3, 1835. Coinage at the new mint was limited to gold, since that metal provided the sole reason for its creation. By the 1850s, the peak of production, even gold from as far away as California's gold fields was being minted into these handsome $5 gold pieces! Estimated Value $24,000 - 27,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $29,900
Lot 3831		1852-C $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck with nice light gold toning. 72,574 minted. Great eye appeal. Pop 3; 4 in 63; 6 in 64. Rich orange-gold with a warmness to the color that is nicely layered over each side of what to all appearances seems like a higher grade specimen. As to the next qualification, the strike, here we see quite good detail including full stars, with not even minor weakness to the sharp centers of Liberty's hair. On the reverse, the eagle is bold, with perhaps the sole exception of some rounded neck feathers that may not stand out as sharply as on the P-mint half eagle this year. The luster is nice and fresh, and so gives itself free play on your optical nerve when viewing it up close with a magnifying lens (PCGS # 8251) . Estimated Value $6,500 - 7,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $8,913
Lot 3832		1852-D $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Clean surfaces. Untoned with very choice eye appeal. 91,584 minted. Pop 1; 2 in 63. It is not all gold that glareth says Geoffrey Chaucer, an English fellow from long ago who wrote pretty prose and poetry; but Chaucer probably wasn't looking at this rich greenish-gold half eagle with its limitless expanse of mint frost. An unsuccessful strike seems to beset the gold coin made at Dahlonega in the 1850s; this coin, like the rest, was left a trifle weak in the centers after the dies retracted from striking it during coining. Nevertheless, if you are a collector young at heart in whom a passion for high quality rare date gold is ineradicably implanted, then it matters little to you about a silly bit of weakness here and there. It is the overall impressiveness of the frosty color and mint originality that attracts a buyer to this rare numismatic treasure (PCGS # 8252) . Estimated Value $11,000 - 13,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $13,225
Lot 3833		1853-D $5 Liberty. Large D. PCGS graded MS-63. Well struck and light toning. The 1853-D is the one of the more frequently seen Dahlonega half eagles, but fortunately is one that is available in Uncirculated with regularity. There are an estimated 20 to 25 pieces known in Uncirculated with most in the MS60 to MS62 grade range. A properly graded Mint State 63 like this is particularly attractive and very rare. About as fully struck as these are normally found, with just terrific detail in the coronet (only slight weakness on the hair braid at Liberty's brow), and just as outstanding detail in the eagle's wings, neck and leg feathers (minor flatness on the arrow feathers). Bright reddish tinted golden luster. In short, this is a high grade Dahlonega half eagle that is notable for being much better struck than usual, with excellent eye-appeal. 89,678 minted. Pop 5; 1 in 64. (PCGS # 8255) . Estimated Value $15,000 - 17,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $16,675
Lot 3834		1854-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-62. Sharply struck with semi reflective surfaces. Light gold toning. 39,823 struck. Pop 2; 1 in 63; 1 in 64. Strong metal flow augments the already showy coppery orange mint luster that covers the surfaces, giving the coin a fresh, original glowing appearance. The mint brilliance is only broken up by an rare stray surface abrasion. A rounded impression is the rule for the half eagle imprinted by the stamp of the dies that struck this 1854-C date; we are happy to say that the present example is a grand exception to that rule in being very sharp throughout including centers. Typical for this issue, however, is a weak C mintmark, believed to be caused by a shallow impression of the mintmark in the die, as made. Estimated Value $18,000 - 20,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $18,975
Lot 3835		1854-D $5 Liberty. Large D. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck with light gold toning. Very choice for the grade. 56,413 minted. Pop 4; 2 in 63; 1 in 64; 1 in 65. Both sides are saturated in copper-gold brilliance that accentuates the ample remaining luster in the fields, within the devices, and in fact, spanning the entire surface. Foremost in our estimation of its beauty is the almost mathematically exact standards seen in the sharp hair curls and hair bun on Liberty, and likewise the strong detail of the eagle's wings, neck feathers, and legs, with only now and then a touch of soft detail. Owning such a coin will make the buyer feel that the sun is shining every day with the soft afternoon golden glow of this handsome $5 gold piece warming the face and lifting the spirits (PCGS # 8258) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $11,500
Lot 3836		1854-O $5 Liberty. AU-55. Lightly toned. Semi reflective. An lustrous example on the cusp of mint condition. The obverse gleams with warm golden color while the reverse shows off some of the smoothest textured, mark-free originality seen on a New Orleans mint half eagle. Wide square rims complete the beautiful composition. Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,300. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3837		1855 $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-62. Nice strike with consideralbe mint luster evident. Pop 2; 3 in 63; 14 in 64. A beautiful coin, one whose luster races over the surface, vivid and yellowish gold in appearance. What's more, the fields acquit themselves nicely in terms of the fewness of marks. And whereas a blunt impression is often left after the recoil of the dies that struck this year's coinage at the various branch mints, we can report that this Philadelphia made specimen is outstanding in its detail and sharpness. Estimated Value $2,500 - 3,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,530
Lot 3838		1855-D $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-62. Nice strike and mostly untoned. Only 22,432 minted. Very rare date in Mint State. Pop 1; 1 in 63; 1 in 64. This example, illustrative of the choice quality rarely seen in its grade class, has iridescent gold surfaces and warm colored toning. There is a very small nick at Liberty's chin, a few equally small marks on the eyebrow, plus a small area of toning at star 9. Clear-cut devices point to it having been giving a decent strike on the obverse; however, a weak eagle points to a weaker strike by the dies on the reverse. Weakness occurs on most D and C mint issues, however, and is accepted by the specialists in this series and part and parcel of rare gold collecting. If a panel of experts were chosen to rank this piece, it would be near the top in the Condition Census for the year. Estimated Value $13,000 - 15,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3839		1855-D $5 Liberty. Medium D. PCGS graded MS-62. Lovely rich orange-gold toning on both sides. Wonderful eye appeal. 22,432 mintage. Pop 1; finest graded at PCGS. Only 4 graded in total. Always frosty for the issue, as seen here, the bright orange gold surface is nearly gem quality with only a few tiny bagmarks. Mathematically exact standards would seen in the sharp centers, but this date is noteworthy for its "average" to soft detail in the key high points, such as the hair below Liberty's ear; on the reverse, the soft detail softens even further as though either the dies were worn or their spacing did not impart the requisite force to insure that the planchet would fill the recesses completely. All the same this is a very attractive of a scarce year, one that will go down in the record books (PCGS # 98263) . Estimated Value $15,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $16,100
Lot 3840		1856-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-61. Mostly untoned. 28,457 minted. Pop 5; 2 in 62. Gold-gold satin frost with more of a reddish tint than the greenish-yellow blush usually seen, and everything is boldly hypnotic on this fresh-appearing 1856-C. Since our observation is that this date is rarely fully struck, then this nicely detailed coin has every suggestion of precision manufacture. Yes, there are a few lower stars that lack central radial lines, but the eagle is, well, the eagle is outstanding, and refreshingly aloof from the run-of-the-mill brand seen throughout recent auction sales. With this coin, we've got a success rarely offered. Don't be late and miss the bidding, or your troubles will really begin since there might not be another chance for many months (PCGS # 8267) . Estimated Value $15,000 - 17,000. Ex: Ashland City. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3841		1856-D $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Only 19,786 minted. Lightly toned with a dull finish. Pop 10; 2 in 63; 2 in 64. Both sides are soaked in copper-gold iridescence that accents the ample remaining luster. All but fully struck, with just a small area of softness on the hair below LIBERTY as well as on the dangling curl at the neck (or "lovelock" as it is sometimes called). The reverse, like the obverse, has certain areas extremely bold and detailed, such as the wings and all legends and mintmark. Then there is a band of weakness running from the head of the eagle to the top of the arrow feather where metal did not completely fill the recesses in the die. But this is typical. What isn't so often seen is the fresh mint luster that everywhere plays upon the eye of the viewer. The new owner of this piece will find plenty of time to hour away the day admiring its rich beauty (PCGS # 8268) . Estimated Value $11,000 - 13,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3842		1858-C $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Only 38,856 minted. Well struck and mostly untoned. Some mint luster visible. Pop 4; none finer at PCGS. The 1858-C is a relatively obtainable issue in all grades but that does not mean it is common in Mint condition, not by a long shot! Mint State pieces are highly prices and when available, tend to be clustered around MS60 or MS61 level. This is one of only 4 known MS62s in PCGS encapsulations. The striking details are prominent for their sharpness on most of the stars and only of the eagle's feathers. There is minor weakening in the denticles on the obverse, while the reverse design elements along the rim are complete. The fields are bright and slightly reflective. The only significant surface marks are a few rough spots before the neck on the neck of Liberty; otherwise there are no flaws, streaks, or bumps. In short, a very respectable coin in this high grade. If you have allotted yourself only one C or D mint gold coin purchase out of this sale, then we suggest the character of the present 1858-C half eagle makes it a good candidate for such a purchase (PCGS # 8277) . Estimated Value $16,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $16,100
Lot 3843		1858-D $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61. Nice strike with even gold toning on both sides. Only 15,362 minted. Pop 3; 4 in 62; 1 in 63; 1 in 64. Intense but still satiny frost, the coin marvelously toned to a soft apricot orange color through which brighter yellow gold radiance persists almost undiminished in spite of the modest MS61 grade. A unconvincing impression was left by the recoil of the (possibly worn) dies that struck much of this year's coinage, but we are happy to see and delighted to report that the present offering enjoys nearly full devices on both sides. With the grade, it is far above the average Dahlonega mint half eagle from this year's release. It is as if the mint pressman who made it turned to his shop assistant and said, "We've got a success now, my boy!" (PCGS # 8278) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 11,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3844		1859-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-62. 31,847 minted. Untoned. Pop 1; 1 in 63. Light marks on the face and in the fields on both sides. This conditionally rare contribution to the sale is brilliant with rich frosty reddish gold surfaces. Impressive too is the strike, at least for the obverse, which we find is free of censure, being sharp in all areas. Meticulous strike on an 1859-C reverse, by contrast, is virtually unobtainable. What one sees is what collectors expect and accept, that this coin's reverse appears to be struck by worn-out dies. The eagle looks sickly or just plain scrawny like it is molting, with a rough raggedness extending across the fields and in all of the legends and devices as well. Just the same, the numerical condition is precise with no hint of slackness, and obviously was fully weighed by the grading service in arriving at the MS62 grade (PCGS # 8281) . Estimated Value $17,000 - 19,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $15,525
Lot 3845		1859-D $5 Liberty. Medium D. PCGS graded MS-63. Nice strike with natural golden toning. Only 10,366 minted. Pop 3: 1 in 64. Among the finest known. The surfaces are radiant and each side has a nice veneer of warm orange-gold patina that whips and tosses as it alternates between lighter and darker shades. This is a nicely struck example exhibiting fine detail to all the high points, barring only star 10, the hair waves below LIBERTY on the coronet, and, on the reverse, some absence of detail in the eagle's neck and right leg feathers along with the arrow feather immediately below the shield point. Surfaces are virtually immaculate for a coin in this condition. If a search had to be made, perhaps a few light contact marks could be discerned on the chin point, near the point of the coronet, and a couple below the ear and on the neck truncation. But these are so minor as to be inconsequential. A wonderful example of this rare D-mint half eagle, one of the finest certified (PCGS # 8282) . Estimated Value $30,000 - 35,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3846		1859-D $5 Liberty. Medium D. PCGS graded MS-61. Light golden toning on both sides. Only 10,366 minted. Small planchet flaw by the 1st star. Pop 5; 6 finer. The otherwise orange-gold color yields to bright golden hues toward the centers and around the stars. Just about fully struck, with just a dash of weakness at the hair below the coronet and on the eagle's neck feathers and a portion of the right wing (PCGS # 8282) . Estimated Value $11,000 - 13,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3847		1860-C $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Normal strike for this issue. A hint of light gold toning. Only 14,813; Pop 2; 1 in 63. A satiny frosted rarity. Smooth, rolling luster and splashes of rich yellow to reddish gold mingle on the surfaces. The 1860-C is almost always sharper on the obverse than the reverse, so it is best to grade it from the Liberty side. This is a choice Mint State coin, one that never worked its way out of a bank and into circulation. At a grade of MS62, it is high on top of the Condition Census as well (PCGS # 8285) . Estimated Value $11,000 - 13,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $11,500
Lot 3848		1860-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-55. The otherwise orange-gold color yields to warmer golden-rose hues in places, with ample luster throughout. Typical detail for a half eagle made at this Southern mint, with just a dash of weakness at the hair below LIBERTY and the neck curl, but more extensive weakness as though from a worn-out die on the eagle, branch, and arrows. Very scarce in all grades from a mintage of 14,813 pieces. Pop 16; 45 finer. Estimated Value $4,500 - 4,800. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,140
Lot 3849		1860-D $5 Liberty. Medium D. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck with nice even light gold toning. Only 14,635 minted. Pop 6; 1 in 64. A blazing pale golden half eagle with the popular (and rare) D mintmark for Dahlonega, Georgia. A coin whose highly concentrated luster and almost ostentatious eye appeal gives it the nod in our estimation. Don't mind the hint of weakness at the eagle's neck since this is typically seen and has been taken into consideration by the careful graders at PCGS. A coin that has plenty of material for thought, and one of the more historic issues since barely 6 months after is was struck, the drumrolls of war began to toll as the South severed its allegiance with the Northern states. The start of the war meant the beginning of the end for the Dahlonega branch mint. Once it closed in 1861, it would never reopen (PCGS # 8286) . Estimated Value $17,000 - 19,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $17,250
Lot 3850		1871-CC $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Untoned and a nice struck coin. Very rare date in Mint State. Pop 4; 1 in 61; 1 in 63. A satin-fresh beauty with agreeable mint frost within, around and on top of the devices. Level, rolling luster, in fact, free from heavy abrasions that so commonly plague early CC-mint half eagles. There are splashes of rich "old gold" color in areas that mingle on the choice quality surfaces. 1871-CC checks in as a very significant rarity among the $5 issues produced at the Carson City Mint. Relatively few were made (in this instance 20,770), and nearly all seem to have been put into circulation. There was no interest on the part of numismatists at the time. The present piece is quite exceptional. Estimated Value $19,000 - 21,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3851		1871-S $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-55. With flattering mint luster and a minimum number of wispy abrasions, this peach-gold coin is every bit the AU55. The strike is convincing in most places, though some weakness is noted at central part of the hair at the brow and on the eagle's neck, claw, and top of the arrow feather. Lustrous and quite rare. Only 25,000 minted. Pop 19; 10 in AU58; 1 in MS61. Estimated Value $5,000 - 5,500. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,600
Lot 3852		1872-CC $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Light gold toning on both sides. Pop 2; none finer at either service. Only 16,980 minted. A wonderful high-end AU58 by any standard, the luster is not in the least hesitant or yielding and is well contained around and within the main devices as it flows out into the open areas where circulation wear first shows. Deep orange and other golden toning colors blossom on both sides. The strike, like the luster, is confident if not exactly bold, with some moderate areas of weakness on the eagle and shield. Similar to many other pieces in the present sale, this coin will likely off the market for many years after it sells. Quality and aesthetic appeal come together and join rarity as a consideration among specialist bidders, yielding yet another numismatic milestone. In the argot of the coin business, the term "pop" refers to "population, the known or estimated census of a coin. In this instance, NGC has graded exactly 2 examples in AU58, with none finer at either major service! Hence, the qualifier "Low Pop." Estimated Value $28,000 - 31,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $28,750
Lot 3853		1875-S $5 Liberty. NGC graded EF-45. With only 9,000 minted and heavy circulation the rule, it stands to reason the 1875-S half eagle is scarce in all upper grades such as this attractive EF45. Choice rims on both sides; good eye-appeal. Pop 6; 27 finer. Estimated Value $2,400 - 2,500. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,300
Lot 3854		1876-CC $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Well struck with light toning and semi reflective surfaces, Only 6,887 struck. Pop 9; 1 in 61, 1 in 64, 1 in 65. A splendid pale golden example of this famous CC rarity with forceful luster still in evidence around the devices and flowing well out into the fields on both sides. A confident strike including the important centers and eagle, and eye appeal that just won't relinquish your attention! We pick two events from numerous choices with which to illustrate the American scene in 1876: Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" was published, sold by subscription, and became a best seller. (It was banned by the Denver Public Library.) And for the sports fan, baseball's National League was founded. Before the organization of the National League, amateur games were riddled with extralegal practices such as bribery and betting. The creation of professional teams with the founding of the National League in 1876, subject to one set of enforceable rules, formalized the American pastime. Estimated Value $20,000 - 23,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $21,850
Lot 3855		1879-S $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Lovely rich golden toning. Pop 16; 8 in 64; 1 in 65. Bright with gold-on-gold somersaulting luster whose radiance on both sides of this cleanly toned example must be seen to be appreciated. This is one of the few well-struck 1879-S examples with excellent details. It has no bothersome abrasions, and absolutely no points of wear (PCGS # 8350) . Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,400. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold

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