Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 51

Pre-Long Beach Coin and Currency Auction

$5 Gold

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1434		1795 $5 Capped Bust. Small eagle. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck on a problem-free planchet and shimmering with frosty mint luster. Delicately toned and a very impressive Small Eagle $5.00. Only 8,707 struck for our first half eagle. One of the most important early type coins for the advanced gold-collecting numismatist to acquire. The fields are not prooflike like some others of this issue but frosty, while the devices are also well frosted. The Philadelphia Mint took extra care to produce really beautiful gold coins for their first year of issue, and this one was nice enough to be saved for over 210 years! Very well struck by the dies, with no adjustment marks whatsoever, the only weakness we can find in the design is atop the eagle's breast (a usual high point that often fails to show all of the fine feathers). We do note minor hairlines from handling but the coin remains very eye appealing. PCGS has graded only a couple of dozen this high of the date. A solid coin for the grade, and worthy of a strong bid. Pop 29; 18 finer (PCGS # 8066) . The BD-10 variety is a fairly available coin featuring the 1795 Small Eagle pairing, since this is the only use of this reverse, it must have incurred some damage, currently not reported by the Dannreuther reference, "so one can envision a coin with further cracking." The only known obverse state with this combination has the obverse heavily lapped with most of the stars attenuated and the lowest curls next to star 1 quite thin. The L of LIBERTY appears to be slightly farther from the cap than on BD-9 (which shares the same obverse), and again the lapping thins letters, stars, hair, and other details. Estimated Value $90,000 - 100,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1435		1800 $5 Capped Bust. PCGS graded AU-58. BD-2, Breen-6438. Nice golden toning on both sides. Boldly struck with reflective surfaces. A choice About Uncirculated specimen with residual primary luster and rich accented highlights over both sides. More than adequately struck for the date, indeed almost 100% so, since this issue rarely is as bold are you are seeing here, certainly a coin that gets the nod where fullness of design is concerned (PCGS # 8082) . Estimated Value $9,500 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1436		1802/1 $5 Capped Bust. Rarity 4+. NGC graded AU-55. Well struck with light golden toning. A still-lustrous golden example with strong luster around the devices and pleasing old-gold highlights on both sides. Nicely struck for the date, perhaps not fully so on a couple of the hair curls at center below the cap, but certainly a coin that gets honorable mention where fullness of design is difficult to obtain given the limitations on the minting equipment back then. This coin was struck when Thomas Jefferson was President. Only 53,176 struck (PCGS # 8083) . Estimated Value $9,000 - 9,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1437		1802/1 $5 Capped Bust. NCS graded Details of VF-20. Bent, mount removed. Worn as jewelry. The overdate feature on these is visible to the naked eye (PCGS # 8083) . Estimated Value $900 - 1,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,438
Lot 1438		1803/2 $5 Capped Bust. NGC graded MS-65. Condition Census. A gorgeous well struck gem that glistens with semi-reflective surfaces throughout. We note some faint adjustment marks on the bonnet as made. Nonetheless, easily one of the finest known. An impressive coin that will undoubtedly be well contested. High on the list of collector favorites are the overdate Half Eagles struck in 1802 and 1803. A curiosity is that neither year seems to be available without overdate. There were apparently no perfect-dated dies made or used. Die notes: Star near and points to upper beak tip, and is free of ribbon. On the obverse, 3 just free of Liberty's bust, missing right foot of T of LIBERTY. Early die state b (lightly clashed) but no cracks having yet developed. "The terminal state for this reverse should indicate a short production run for this variety," explains Dannreuther, "but this variety is fairly available, over 150 examples still exist. Only 33,506 pieces struck. Pop 1; 1 finer in 66 (PCGS # 8084) . Estimated Value $90,000 - 100,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1439		1804 $5 Capped Bust. Small 8 over large 8. PCGS graded AU-55. BD-7, Breen-6442. Mostly untoned. A beautiful, slightly prooflike example, there are no unsettling marks or defects on either side. This is a nicely struck example exhibiting fine detail to all the high points. Obverse with 180 punched over large 180, a large pointed top 4. This is the final variety of 1804 and the last use of this dramatically repunched date. Pop 11; 32 finer; 12 in 58; 6 in 61; 8 in 62; 4 in 63; 2 in 64. (PCGS # 8086) . Estimated Value $9,000 - 9,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1440		1806 $5 Capped Bust. Pointed 6, 8X5 Stars. PCGS graded MS-62. BD-2, Breen-6447. Lightly toned and frosty. What is most noticeable when one first examines this coin is its thick mint luster -- it swirls unimpeded by noticeable abrasions and is lightly capped by natural color. A coin of singular beauty and importance to the collector in this affordable grade. Substantial detail to the highpoints on this fine example are noted in the hair waves and most of the eagle's plumage, although an ineffectual imprint was left in a few areas around the shield by the recoil of the dies. The obverse has a die crack through the stars on the left. The 6 in the date overlaps the bust. Perfect Ts on the reverse. Pop 9; 18 finer; 13 in 63; 5 in 64. (PCGS # 8090) . Estimated Value $17,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1441		1806 $5 Capped Bust. Round 6. . BD-6, Breen-6448. NGC graded MS-65. Well struck and untoned with intense frosty mint luster throughout. We note some light mint-made adjustment marks running vertically thru the center of the obverse that does not detract from the beauty of this wonderful gem quality half eagle. A total of 54,417 were minted for all varieties. Virtually blinding-golden fields stream light out in every direction of this beautiful specimen. The strike is crisp in most peripheral areas, though some lack of detail may be found at the hair curls in the center as well as at the left and right sides of the shield on reverse, typical of the coins of 1806 including those from other denominations as well. A small tic mark at Liberty's chin. The Round 6 (a.k.a. Knobbed 6 in many reference books) is a one-off variety, the only use of this obverse. In the date, all four numerals are small and squat, with 8 and 0 leaning left. Small letters in LIBERTY. There is a die crack through N of UNITED to the arrowheads. Dannreuther (and others) consider the Round 6 coinage "by far the most commonly seen 1806 variety and also the most seen variety among all the Draped Bust Large Eagle coins." Possibly as many as 35,000 to 50,000 of the entire 64,093 pieces minted that year are comprised of this variety, with perhaps 600 to 900 known today in various (usually much lower) grades. "As with the 1806 half dollars, the Pointed 6 half eagle varieties had the obverse die in the hammer and the reverse die in the anvil position. For the Knobbed 6 half dollar issues and this half eagle variety this die alignment was reverse, resulting in better struck obverses." [Dannreuther, p. 299.] Pop 1; none finer (PCGS # 8089) . Estimated Value $90,000 - 100,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1442		1806 $5 Capped Bust. Round 6, 7X6 Stars. PCGS graded AU-55. BD-6, Breen-6448. Unusual toning at 11:00 obverse. 54,417 struck. Lustrous, but with some very light hairlines in the field and traces of adjustment marks faintly evident in the hair. Well centered on a problem-free planchet, this is an historic Type found in many of the top coin collections of the last 150 years (PCGS # 8089) . Estimated Value $9,000 - 9,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1443		1809/8 $5 Capped Draped Bust. NGC graded MS-65. A well struck frosty mint gem on a problem free planchet. The brilliant untoned surfaces sparkel with intense frosty mint luster. A total of 33,875 were minted. A golden, mint-fresh example, as crisp and glossy as when it was first released from to the Treasury for distribution nearly two hundred years ago. Hard to believe such a thing is possible. Fortunately for the strike, it, like the luster, is outstanding, in fact, exceptional. A well-struck example with good details. There are no bothersome abrasions or points of wear. One of the nicest specimens of this date we have seen, a coin that will be admired by those who to see it. A short mark left of star #10 along with a faint line in the field extending up from the first star can be used as identifiers; dutiful searching with a glass reveals little else other than a stray faint scuff in the frost or short hairline, the sort of unintentional flaws that are part and parcel of the trip from coining press to the bullion depositor's moneypouch. A great beauty in Gem Mint State compared to lesser quality early gold pieces that may be technically Mint State; we hesitate to call it "world class" quality but where in the world would you locate a finer specimen? A coin for a real connoisseur. Pop 10; none finer (PCGS # 8104) . Die note: One interesting feature about this piece that Dannreuther mentions in his die variety guide is the large 9 punch employed on this die. It is much larger than the other digits, possibly from the punch set that was used for the Large Date varieties in 1810. The partial numeral under the 9 does not seem to match the curve of an 8 or this 9. As with many other early gold issues, one sometimes has to draw the best conclusion that can be found from the existing examples. Traditionally, all 1809 half eagles are described as 1809/8. As with the other dies made during the employ of John Reich at the mint, star 13 has a small notch out of one point (that which is closest to the rim dentils). Some believe this is his "secret signature" as such an anomaly could not be explained otherwise. (Reich worked at the mint from 1807 until 1817.). Estimated Value $90,000 - 100,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1444		1810 $5 Capped Draped Bust. Small date, large 5. PCGS graded MS-61. Mostly untoned. A remarkable coin that emits eye-catching golden frosty, with no marks or signs of friction for the skeptic to find. In light of that, we can also say this piece is nicely struck with extremely full details on most stars (those on the left are slightly less precise than the ones on the right); full hair curls and cap. The eagle on this issue is sometimes struck poorly, but not so here; all features including the shield lines and neck feathers are tip-top. Pop 11; 27 finer; 14 in 62; 7 in 63; 5 in 64; 1 in 65. (PCGS # 8106) . Estimated Value $11,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1445		1810 $5 Capped Draped Bust. Large date, large 5. NGC graded MS-61 BD-4, Rarity 2. Untoned and frosty. This example, illustrative of the frosty luster seen in its grade class on carefully maintained 1810-dated half eagle; it has iridescent bright golden surfaces and no toning, no spots, no problems of any sort. Some faint lines on the cheek. Struck with technical accuracy throughout with the sole area of softness in the design near the shield at left. Pop 48; 123 finer. (PCGS # 8108) . This is the year John Jacob Astor, a German immigrant who eventually became the richest man in America, organized the Pacific Fur Company. Astor's fortune was made in the fur trade and from shrewd real estate investments. In 1810, the vast majority of Americans lived in a narrow region hugging the East Coast of the continent, with only a few sparsely settled villages inland. Estimated Value $10,000 - 11,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $9,775
Lot 1446		1810 $5 Capped Draped Bust. Large date, large 5. NGC graded AU-55 BD-4, Rarity 2. Beautiful warm golden toning. A still lustrous and attractive coin, a benchmark for other examples that share this AU55 grade. While the strike is bold and crisp, it is rarely this full on the stars, legends and main devices, and we compliment NGC on a solid appraisal of its condition. Weak strikes seem to plague the issues of 1807-12. Worth stretching a little to obtain it (PCGS # 8108) . In 1810, the U.S. population was 7,239,881. (The 3rd U.S. census listed: 1,211,364 slaves; 186,746 free Negroes; and 60,000 immigrants.) Between 1810 and 1830, as the population grew from new arrivals and natural population growth, over two million people left the eastern States for the West. However, the Westward migration put pressure on the indigenous peoples. A famous leader of the time was Tecumseh (spelled variously Tecumtha, Tecumthe, and Tikamthi) -- an Indian chief of the Shawnees who, with his brother Tenskwatawa (The Prophet), tried to unite the Indians in the western part of the U.S. against the whites. In 1810 he told President Madison's messenger: These lands are ours. No one has a right to remove us, because we were the first owners. The Great Spirit above has appointed this place for us, on which to light our fires, and we will remain. As to boundaries, the Great Spirit knows no boundaries, nor will His red children acknowledge any. Estimated Value $7,500 - 8,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $7,763
Lot 1447		1811 $5 Capped Draped Bust. NGC graded MS-64. Well struck and frosty with light golden toning evenly spread on both sides. Brilliant, frosty yellow gold luster with very few surface marks or abrasions. There is a small identifying spot below the cap. Sharply struck except for very minor weakness at the top part of the scroll on the reverse as well as the upper right corner of the shield, both minor and immaterial to the overall grade. This is a relatively available date and variety, still, however, a rarity in full Mint State 64 grade. Pop 8; 5 finer; 4 in 65, 1 in 66. Estimated Value $27,000 - 30,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1448		1811 $5 Capped Draped Bust. Small 5. PCGS graded AU-50. BD-2, Breen-6464. Frosty and untoned. A few light contact marks. Two minor varieties this year, small 5 and large 5 in denomination. A respectable example of the choice quality one expects for AU50, and a popularly collected design. Some original luster blends smoothly with muted golden surfaces (PCGS # 8109) . Estimated Value $6,000 - 6,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $7,188
Lot 1449		1811 $5 Capped Draped Bust. Small 5. PCGS graded Genuine. Our grade is Sharpness of AU-50, cleaned. We also note an old scratch across the face of Liberty. Well worth our conservative estimate. The Capped Bust, Large Bust facing left was produced 1807 to 1812. The head punch is by John Reich's whose secret signature, a notch out of one point on star 13, appears on all dies from this period. Liberty wears a floppy cap said to have been the style of the day when Reich decked her out in it, with drapery and a clasped bust, prominent forehead curl. Reich's eagle punch has the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM above with the eagle in a more naturalistic pose than the heraldic type of the previous design (PCGS # 8109) . Estimated Value $4,500 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1450		1812 $5 Capped Draped Bust. NGC graded MS-65. Well struck on a problem-free planchet in natural light greenish color gold. The untoned frosty mint surfaces are remarkably clean. A total of 58,087 minted for all varieties. More often than not frosty for the issue, as seen here, though rarely with near-pristine surfaces, the bright golden surface is nearly superb with few distracting bagmarks. We note a tiny mark above the eagle's head; a faint scuff line in the frost lies behind the head on the obverse. These can serve as identifiers. And so next to the devices, which are sharply struck on obverse and reverse, including full stars, most hair curls crisp (barring a few that are nearby the drapery clasp) and an impressive eagle whose only softening in the device is at the back of its neck. The extraordinary Gem MS65 we offer is tied with a handful of others for the finest Wide 5D, and is one of the most delightful we have ever sold at auction. It ranks high among all Mint State Capped Draped Bust survivors of this sought-after Type. Pop 10; none finer. (PCGS # 8112) . The Wide 5 D variety (there are two 1812 die varieties known) is the more available of the two, and it is also one of the more often seen varieties of the Capped Draped Bust type of 1807-12. For connoisseurs of numismatic minutiae (but of little relevance to the active buyer of rare high quality early U.S. gold), there are two curious die lines seen on the reverse of many coins of this variety. According to the Dannreuther reference, "they may be graver's marks or some other 'injury' to the die. One begins at the rim about two o'clock, passes to the left of A(MERICA), and ends in the wing. The other is curved through the horizontal shield lines and ends in the left (observer's) wing. Estimated Value $70,000 - 80,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1451		1812 $5 Capped Draped Bust. . BD-1, Breen-6466. NGC graded MS-64. Well struck with intense frosty mint luster on a lovely problem-free planchet. Lovely natural golden-orange overtones add to its beauty. A highly glossy example that has extra frosty surfaces plus lovely patina with a bold, if not quite a razor sharp strike. No more than the luster comes a desirable strike on these early pieces, since the mint's quality suffered by a lack of more sophisticated equipment at the time this was made. This piece is struck with almost scientific exactness throughout the stars, hair curls and cap folds, on the obverse, and even the small clasp at Liberty's shoulder has its central squiggle visible. The reverse eagle is where the sharpness falls down a bit, with indistinct feathers on the neck and one wing, as well as some softening of the shield lines, about on par with other MS64 examples seen. Partly this is due to a few faint adjustment marks across the center of the reverse. All in all a first-rate specimen of the Type for the dedicated numismatist. Pop 34; 9 finer by a point (PCGS # 8112) . Estimated Value $30,000 - 35,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1452		1814/3 $5 Capped Head. . BD-1, Breen-6468. NGC graded MS-64. Only variety for the year. Very well struck with superb detail throughout and faint clash marks as made. The frosty mint luster is a light golden-orange. A war was raging across portions of the new American landscape when this beautiful mint state half eagle was struck in 1814. The British, our adversaries in the War of 1812, set into motion their plan for a three-part invasion of the U.S.: Chesapeake Bay, Lake Champlain, & the mouth of Mississippi River. The British were eventually turned back at Baltimore harbor. But on August 24-25, 1814, their forces burned Washington, D.C. and the Capitol. President and First Lady Madison fled the White House. Then, in September 1814, came the Battle of Plattsburgh (Lake Champlain), where the U.S. forces secured our northern border with a stunning victory over a larger British force. On December 15,1814, The Hartford Convention formed by a group of Federalists to discuss secession from the Union. The Convention's proposed seven amendments to protect the influence of Northeastern states, which had refused to participate in the war effort. Finally, on December 24, 1814, one day before Christmas, the Treaty of Ghent was signed ending hostilities. The British and American diplomats agreed to return to the status quo from before the war. A busy year for such an historic gold piece to slip past the avaricious hands of merchants and the public in its full, original Mint condition! Wartime conditions may explain why only 15,454 pieces were struck. Pop 8; none finer (PCGS # 8117) . Estimated Value $35,000 - 40,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $33,350
Lot 1453		1814/3 $5 Capped Head. PCGS graded AU-58. Well struck and untoned. A desirable specimen of the second year of this Type, and one that features an overdate; the choice, lustrous quality one likes to see for this actively collected design. Some die clash marks blends into the obverse design behind Liberty's ear and around the date region; highlights are topped in satin surfaces. 15,464 struck. Pop 5; 28 finer; 2 in 61; 15 in 62; 8 in 63; 3 in 64. (PCGS # 8117) . Estimated Value $13,000 - 14,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1454		1818 $5 Capped Head. "STATESOF". PCGS graded MS-62. BD-2, Breen-6470. Frosty and light golden toning. This fully original specimen has frosted golden surfaces and no mentionable problems on either side other than for some hairlines. There is a small mark in the cap above the I of LIBERTY. Very elusive in all conditions since many were melted, even more so with intact mint color and luster. Having covered the mint bloom, we take stock of the coin's detail. Clockwork precision seen in the stars, the hair curls (excepting slight weakness at the curl before the ear), and most of the fine detail shows on the eagle. A part of the left side by the shield is all that is weak, and this is a typical location for imprecise detail on the 1815-1829 half eagles. Pop 8; 19 finer.; 11 in 63; 7 in 64; 1 in 66. (PCGS # 8121) . Estimated Value $23,000 - 24,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1455		1834 $5 Classic Head. Plain 4. NGC graded MS-61. Untoned and natural greenish-golden in color. A lustrous Mint State specimen. In summer 1834 the $5 denomination was redesigned by William Kneass, who created what is now known today as the Classic Head style. The new 1834 issue is similar in design to the quarter eagle of the same date. The obverse depicts a head of Liberty facing left, her hair secured by a band inscribed LIBERTY, with stars circling her head, and with the date below. The reverse shows an eagle with a shield on its breast, perched on an olive branch and holding three arrows. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 5 D. surrounds. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, used earlier, was discontinued (PCGS # 8171) . Estimated Value $3,500 - 4,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1456		1835 $5 Classic Head. NGC graded MS-63 Block 8 in date. Well struck. Both sides are soaked in vivid bright golden iridescence that accents the ample remaining luster. Clear-cut devices point to it having been giving a full strike by the dies, with the dies themselves showing traces of having clashed at one time. There is a ghost image of the reverse shield lines around Liberty's ear on the obverse. An impressive looking specimen that should delight the numismatist. Pop 14; 16 finer in 64. (PCGS # 8173) . To permit America's gold coins to circulate at par -- which they had not done since 1815 -- Congress reduced the authorized weight of the various denominations through the Act of June 28, 1834. On August 2, 1834, the new standard went into effect. For the quarter eagle the weight was reduced from 8.75 grams to 8.36 grams. To readily distinguish the new coins from the old, modified designs were introduced. Chief Engraver William Kneass created what we call the Classic Head today. The head of Liberty faces left, her hair secured by a band inscribed LIBERTY in raised letters, 13 stars circling her head, and with the date below. The reverse depicts an eagle with a shield on its breast, perched on an olive branch and holding three arrows. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and 5 D. surrounds. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, used on half eagles since 1795, was omitted. Mintage quantities were large in the first several years of the coinage span, with the high-water mark being 1834. Estimated Value $9,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $8,338
Lot 1457		1835 $5 Classic Head. PCGS graded EF-45 PQ. Frosty and untoned; has a few light pin scratches and hairlines; luster around the devices (PCGS # 8173) . Estimated Value $950 - 1,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,093
Lot 1458		1841-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-61. Well struck with nice wide borders and wire rims. Plenty of satiny mint luster remains and all is lightly toned. Indeed, the strike on this early C-mint rarity is all that could be desired: full stars and hair waves (including the long curl above the ear which is exquisitely detailed, clear hair bun and beaded cord. There is a single short hairline in the field between the first two stars on the left and another between stars 3 and 4. Consistency is also a hallmark of the reverse where the eagle projects its feathers and shield detail for all to admire. The leaves show their central veins; the arrows, their central shafts. Bold square rims act like a picture frame around the entire composition. A worthwhile bid is called for to obtain this handsome specimen. Pop 4; 3 finer with 2 in 62, 1 in 64 (PCGS # 8203) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 11,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $10,063
Lot 1459		1842-C $5 Liberty. Small date. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck and lustrous exhibiting rich mint bloom colors on both sides. Certainly among the finest known. Interesting over-lapping of metal on the rim at 12 o'clock. An incredible rarity and The Key "C" mint to the Half Eagle series. Extremely choice surfaces and broad, framing rims with nearly complete dentils (only those at the lower left obverse lack detail). 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 high conditions. This attractive Mint State can be identified by a small mark at star 2, a thin hairline left of the date and another equally miniscule hairline extending from the upper arrow point into the field. Perhaps no more than five or six individual Mint State examples of the date are known in all grades. One of the most celebrated Charlotte Mint rarities in this sale. Pop 1; none finer (PCGS # 8208) . Walter Breen attributes a mintage of 4,595 pieces to the 1842 Small Date variety and 23,589 to the Large Date variety, indicating that the ratio was approximately 1 to 4. Douglas Winter estimates that 35 to 40 are known of the Small Date and 65 to 70 of the Large Date, a more conservative 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 (as well as mintmark punches). Estimated Value $130,000 - 140,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1460		1842-C $5 Liberty. Large date. PCGS graded MS-63. Very well struck and absolutely problem free. Nice and frosty with delicate golden toning. A very attractive example and a candidate for *finest known. One of the few high-grade Large C mint fives we have offered, this exceptionally pleasing MS63 example has rich golden luster over each side with subtle accents of color. Far from an average specimen of its mint or decade, this has well struck devices with razor-sharp stars, hair, eagle, and other key details. The 1842-C Large Date is sometimes cast in the shadow of its rarer Small Date sibling 1842 Charlotte half eagle. Identifier: a small nick at the bridge of the nose. Total mintage for the 1842-C Half Eagles of both varieties was 28,184 coins. Of this total, it is generally accepted that a good 80% of these are the Large Date variety, though some think 60% is a more likely percentage. The numismatist who chooses to concentrate on Charlotte gold will want to bid generously on this coin since few other Mint State examples exist, and only 1 other in MS63. They rarely come to market. Pop 2; none finer* (PCGS # 8209) . Estimated Value $24,000 - 26,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $23,000
Lot 1461		1843-O $5 Liberty. Large letters. NGC graded MS-64. A fabulous example displaying a nice detailed strike including full star radials and intensely frosty mint surfaces. We note some mint caused stray "hay" marks scattered about with a touch of delicate golden toning deepening just a bit about the borders. We will pass briefly over the details in the strike, for this coin is above-average in terms of the detail seen on the few known Mint State New Orleans minted half eagles, with full sharp stars, marginal softness at the centers, but highly detailed where it counts. A "fresh" and very choice example of this "O" mint rarity. We hardly need to just what a special coin this is, and how much attention it will attract from bidders near and far. A total of 82,000 minted of both varieties. Pop 8; 1 finer in 65 (PCGS # 8216) . Estimated Value $25,000 - 30,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1462		1844-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-63. Well struck with nice frosty mint luster throughout. Frosty yellow gold with plenty of brilliance and luster present. Well struck (from lightly clashed dies) for the date, essentially sharp in nearly all areas. An incredible rarity in Mint State, and easily one of the finest examples of the date extant. As David Akers noted regarding this date and mint: "Specimens in AU or Uncirculated are almost unobtainable." He continued by noting that the finest he had ever seen was the Bareford coin. (On the reverse, a small die crack runs from the rim at 10:00 to the tip of the eagle's wing. Another crack, this more prominent, begins at the rim over the first A in AMERICA, horizontally crossing the field and the eagle's wing, ending at a central point on the eagle's neck.). Tied for finest certified at NGC. 23,631 coins minted. Pop 2; none finer (PCGS # 8220) . Estimated Value $25,000 - 27,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $21,850
Lot 1463		1844-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-60. Untoned example. The present sale showcases several exciting high-grade gold $2.50 and $5 gold pieces from the first half of the 19th century. The early issues, particularly the scarce Southern branch mint Lots, are uniformly of outstanding quality from the collection formed by a noted specialist in the series. The Classic Head and Liberty Head dates and varieties represent some of the finest business strikes obtainable during decades of collecting. Many outstanding Mint States included in the present sale, such as this exemplary 1844-C five. A hard to believe array of natural luster supports bright vibrant highlights. Nicely struck with the design comparable to the best preserved C-mint specimens of this denomination, including almost razor-sharp feathers on the eagle (only the right claw is rounded) and full legends and date. A few marks on the cheek are evident. Pop 2; 5 finer; 2 in 61; 1 in 62; 2 in 63. (PCGS # 8220) . Of historic interest in the history of the Charlotte Mint is an incident that occurred early on the morning of Saturday, July 27, 1844. Superintendent Green W. Caldwell had been ill the Friday before and was not present when a fire was discovered. Small and contained to a single room, the fire might easily have been extinguished by the reservoir of water used to supply the boilers, but no one took the initiative to do this. Nearly the entire Mint structure was destroyed and much of the machinery damaged. Fortunately, the mint's bullion supply had been removed for safekeeping to the Branch Bank of the State of North Carolina, and the treasurer's account books had been spared destruction. There were many recriminations following this costly fire, though no satisfactory explanation for its cause was ever proved. Superintendent Caldwell maintained that his quarters had been robbed and that the fire was set by the thief to cover his tracks. A servant named Calvin was briefly held as the suspected thief, but he was later released. The Charlotte mint did not reopen for business until 1846. Estimated Value $13,000 - 14,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $10,925
Lot 1464		1844-D $5 Liberty. NGC graded EF-40. Light gold toning. A nicely toned specimen with faint orange and heather surfaces around the devices that lighten to "old gold" atop the devices and in the open spaces. An area where the planchet flaked above TES may be associated with a small lamination in the metal. Pop 19 (PCGS # 8221) . Estimated Value $1,700 - 1,800. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,726
Lot 1465		1849-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-61. Nice and problem free with delicate light toning. Strong metal flow with frosty tendency augments the already showy mint luster that covers the surfaces, giving the coin a brand new, glowing appearance right in line with its Mint State grade. No signs of cleaning. And best of all, none of the usual torrent of small marks, only a scattered few here and there. Of course, collectors seeing the photos understand this coin is more than adequately struck for an 1849-C half eagle, best of all with only localized weakness on the left leg of the eagle. Certainly a coin that gets proper mention where completeness of design is difficult to attain. 64,823 coins struck. Pop 11; 14 finer with 6 in 62, 5 in 63, 2 in 64, 1 in 66 (PCGS # 8241) . Estimated Value $8,000 - 9,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1466		1852 $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Light hint of gold tone. Aesthetically tempting, as choice a looking MS63 with full strike as you are apt to see on this early P-mint release, and all the while saturated with bright reddish golden bloom, little in the way of toning. Faithful to every detail from a full blow by the dies, as well. Popular No Motto type. Pop 15; 12 finer in 64. (PCGS # 8250) . Estimated Value $5,000 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,038
Lot 1467		1853-D $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-61. An untoned example exhibiting a nice bold even strike at centers with a minor scuff in the luster before the face. Intense but still abundant frost, the coin brilliant with a soft golden color through which brighter gold radiance persists around the devices. Nicely struck for the date, perhaps not entirely so at the rims which tend to lack detail on the dentils, but certainly a coin that gets proper mention where completeness of design in a Dahlonega Mint half eagle of this decade is almost impossible to obtain. Pop 17; 13 finer, 6 in 62, 4 in 63, 3 in 64. Estimated Value $6,500 - 7,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1468		1853-D $5 Liberty. Large D. PCGS graded EF-40 PQ. Housed in an Old Green Holder. A glittering pale golden example with some luster still present around the devices, a typical D-mint strike (weak in a few areas), and plenty of eye appeal from nearly abrasion-free surfaces. Ideal for a Type collection. Pop 25 (PCGS # 8255) . Estimated Value $1,800 - 1,900. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1469		1855-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-60. Well struck, lustrous and untoned. Only 39,788 struck. A boldly original brilliant gold-surfaced coin whose high-end beauty in the various components gets amplified by sharp relief on both sides (rare in a Charlotte Mint gold coin). A unsuccessful strike is often to blame for the low grade survival rate of C-mint half eagles. Yet, with this coin nearly every part of the design was left sharp after the rebound of the dies. The photographs reveal all; further, close-up inspection under 5x or 10x magnification can detect only the minutest contact marks in the fields and on some of the design, the most notable being a tiny scuff behind the hair bun and another below the ear. Again, an outstanding coin for the specialized buyer, like a breath of fresh air to see 1855-C in Mint condition when so many more worn pieces are all that are seen offered. Pop 3; 11 finer with 4 in 61, 4 in 62, 1 in 63, 1 in 64, 1 in 65 (PCGS # 8262) . Estimated Value $9,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $7,475
Lot 1470		1856-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-61. Well struck with plenty of luster and untoned. Some scattered light contact marks on both sides, none of which are too serious and are commensurate for this numerical grade. Only 28,457 coins struck. Nicely struck but with a few flat lower stars as often encountered on this date and mint. Liberty and the eagle are impressively bold. Desirable too is the state of the fields, which show an almost entire avoidance of marks, the most visible one being near the lowest arrowhead on the reverse. Luster abounds throughout. The 1856-C is one of the scarcer dates from this Mint. As the 1850s wound down, mintage levels fell too, with 1856-C being especially rare in mint condition, as seen in the census: Pop 7; 2 finer in 62 (PCGS # 8267) . Estimated Value $13,000 - 14,000. Ex Ashland City. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1471		1856-D $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. An intensely lustrous beauty exhibiting rich golden sunset colors. The borders are nice and wide with most of the stars fully defined while the centeres are a trifle soft as made. Only 19,786 pieces minted. The 1856-C is a rare half eagle delivery of the Charlotte Mint. The issue ranks sixth in overall ranking among the 24 deliveries in this series. The strike is about as one could realistically expect for a gold coin from this coinage facility. There are a few central areas where incompleteness of detail can be seen on both sides. Warm color as mentioned flows over soft, satiny luster. With none but the most trivial abrasions scattered about, this coin is markedly choicer than the typically offered Mint State survivor with many detracting marks. Pop 3; 3 finer by a point. (PCGS # 8268) . Estimated Value $25,000 - 27,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1472		1858-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-63. A needle sharp strike on a slightly defective planchet (note some roughness in the reverse fields) and untoned. The 1858-C is a relatively obtainable issue in all grades but that does not mean it is frequent in Mint condition, not by a country mile! Choice Mint State pieces, in particular, are highly prized items and when available, tend to be the focus of strong bidding activity. The striking details are prominent for their crispness here. There is some minor weakening in the dentils on the obverse and reverse; centers are extremely bold. In line with the MS63 grade, the fields are bright and frosty with a slightly reflective sheen. The only significant surface marks are, as already described, a few rough areas around the eagle (done at the time of minting, more likely than not); otherwise there are no flaws, tarnish streaks, or edge bumps. In short, a very respectable high grade example. If you have allotted yourself only one C or D mint gold coin purchase out of this sale, and desire a choice one, then we direct your attention to the present 1858-C half eagle as it makes it a good candidate for such a purchase. Pop 2; 1 finer by a point (PCGS # 8277) . Estimated Value $20,000 - 22,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1473		1858-D $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-60. A nice deep impression with wide borders and rims and a touch of softness in the centers. An intensely lustrous, untoned example. Only 15,362 struck. Outstanding detail and as well struck over both sides with sharp detail noted at the peripheral areas and if not the centers. Attractive, brilliant gold color covers both sides as well. There are some light hairlines and softening in the luster accounting for the MS60 grade. It is unlikely that a more original example of this issue exists, however, and we highly respect the collector who ends up with it. The 1858-D is more available than the 1856-D and the 1857-D, especially in higher grades. There are an estimated 30-35 pieces known in AU grades, as well as fair number but not too many in Uncirculated. Pop 2; 9 finer with 4 in 61, 4 in 62, 1 in 65 (PCGS # 8278) . Estimated Value $7,000 - 8,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $7,475
Lot 1474		1859-C $5 Liberty. NGC graded MS-61. Well struck with scattered marks on both sides, all lightly toned. A total of 31,847 struck. A few faint hairlines in the fields struggle to gain your attention, but the bold detail on Liberty and otherwise clean surfaces throughout give it the edge. One tiny rim mark between stars 3 and 4. Characteristic of 1859-C, grading must be done by the obverse side. The reverse on all of these was from a ramshackle die, possibly overused from earlier years, causing the impressions to be weak even on a coin (such as this) in full, obvious Mint condition. Taken as a whole, the choiceness of the fields and devices put this in the running for Condition Census rank. Pop 7; 2 finer with 1 in 62, 1 in 63 (PCGS # 8281) . Estimated Value $9,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $8,625
Lot 1475		1859-D $5 Liberty. Medium D. PCGS graded MS-61. A well struck example boasting deep sunset golden toning on both sides. We note a scratch from the V in FIVE to the N in UNITED which appears to have been present when minted. Only 10,366 coined. 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 stars 2 & 10, the lovelock curl below Liberty's ear, and, on the reverse, some minor detail softening in the eagle's neck feathers only (other areas very crisply defined). Surfaces are very choice for a coin in this numerical condition. If a search had to be made, perhaps a few light contact marks could be discerned other than that already mentioned. But these are so minor as to be inconsequential. A wonderful example of this rare D-mint half eagle, one of the finest certified. Pop 5; 3 in 62, 3 in 63, 1 in 64 (PCGS # 8282) . Estimated Value $13,000 - 14,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1476		1860-D $5 Liberty. Medium D. PCGS graded MS-62. Boldly struck with all the stars fully defined. A very choice Brilliant Uncirculated example boasting frosty and satiny mint luster, all with delicate golden sunset toning. This lustrous half eagle with the popular (and rare) D mintmark was made at Dahlonega, Georgia, which issued gold coins exclusively from 1838 until 1861. A coin whose highly pleasing luster and almost ostentatious eye appeal gives it an advantage over competing specimens in our opinion. Pay no heed to the minor weakness at the eagle's neck since this is seen on all specimens and has been taken into consideration by the graders of PCGS. A coin that has plenty of material for thought, plus a wealth of American history supporting it; one of the more romantic gold issues since barely six months after is was struck, the drums of war began to beat when the South severed its allegiance to the Northern states. The start of the Civil War meant the beginning of the end for the Dahlonega branch mint. Once it closed in 1861, it would never reopen. A refreshing beautiful specimen for the connoisseur of high quality gold coins. Pop 7; 1 finer in 64 (PCGS # 8286) . Estimated Value $16,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1477		1869-S $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61. A nice untoned example. One stray mark in the field below the chin. Very rare in mint state. Only 31,000 minted. The strike is finely detailed on this handsome half eagle, with just a touch of high-point weakness to keep us from saying that it is "razor" sharp. Although a few stray abrasions are as expected, such as the one mentioned, this coin has attractive old-gold finish, and taken as a whole offers the attraction of a finer specimen. Like most half eagles from this era, the 1869-S issue circulated heavily on the West Coast and in the Basin-and-Range province of Nevada, Utah and Arizona. This contrasts with states east of the Mississippi where circulating gold and silver was virtually unavailable due to the competing greenback currency which upset the monetary balance from the Civil War until 1879. Certified survivors of the 1869-S half eagle tend to grade VF or EF. In Mint condition the issue is as rare as it gets: Pop 1; 1 finer in 62. (PCGS # 8318) . 1869: the year of the Golden Spike. Promontory Summit in Utah was the center of worldwide attention when the driving-in of the golden spike joined the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railraods. The ceremony took place on May 10, 1869. What happened next is almost entirely absent from school history texts: Because of the shoddy manner in which the rail lines were laid on the heavily government subsidized system, work began almost immediately to reconstruct the entire project! Three years after the celebrated meeting at Promontory Summit the Union Pacific Railroad was bankrupt. As for the spike itself, the golden spike was made of 17.6-karat (73%) copper-alloyed gold, and weighed 14.03 troy ounces (436 g). It was dropped into a pre-drilled hole in the laurel ceremonial last tie, and gently tapped into place with a silver ceremonial spike maul. The spike was engraved on all four sides. Immediately afterwards, the golden spike and the laurel tie were removed and replaced with a regular iron spike and normal tie. At exactly 12:47 p.m. on May 10, 1869, the last iron spike was driven, finally completing the line. Estimated Value $17,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $16,100
Lot 1478		1871-S $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Mostly untoned. Scarce date. 25,000 struck. Unstoppable luster sweeps flamboyantly under the golden highlights, while a few stray marks are all that keeps this from a higher grade. We note a small indentation at Liberty's nose bridge, and another on the cheek at the lips. The strike is strong save for a limited area of lightness at the eagle's neck feathers, a common occurrence with the low-mintage S-mint half eagles struck in the 1870s. Pop 12; 1 finer in 61. (PCGS # 8324) . 1871: A Vermont tanner invented a process of tanning buffalo hide in 1871, which made it commercially usable. In 1872, the slaughter began. With government approval, marksmen and skinners moved in, and by 1878 the great southern buffalo herd, estimated at 10 million head, had been wiped out. Then the hunters moved north and slaughtered another 5 million. The hunters often moved onto Indian land. If the Indians objected and drove the hunters out, the Army would come in and destroy all of the Indians' possessions, forcing them to surrender or face the elements, without homes, horses, food, or tools. Between 1860 and 1889, the number of Great Plains buffalo was reduced from 50 million to 551. P. T. Barnum opened his circus in Brooklyn in 1871, billing it as "The Greatest Show on Earth." Estimated Value $5,000 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1479		1876 $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Untoned with some luster still visable. Very scarce date. 1,432 minted. An elevated degree of luster springs to life beneath bright gold and somewhat granular highlights due to surface contact with other coins. Yielding only one time at the reverse on the eagle's neck feathers, more detail can be found here than on the typical example of the rare 1876 date. A carefully graded example that should attract bidding attention. Pop 8; 4 finer; 2 in 61; 1 in 62; 1 in 64. (PCGS # 8339) . 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 $5,000 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,613
Lot 1480		1880 $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-64. Well struck, frosty and lightly toned. Pop 62; 10 finer; 9 in 65, 1 in 66 (PCGS # 8351) . Estimated Value $950 - 1,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,093
Lot 1481		1880 $5 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Lustrous (PCGS # 8351) . Estimated Value $250 - 260. View details Check results on similar lots	Realized $334
Lot 1482		1881 $5 Liberty. NGC graded Proof 64 Cameo. A fully untoned near Gem Prooof. Only 42 minted. Sparkling brilliant gold with frosty motifs and mirror fields that display a nuance of the familiar "orange peel" effect from the die preparation process. From the low Proof mintage it is doubtful if more than a dozen or so exist today. Certainly this is one of the most important, least noticed Proofs in the half eagle domain. Many Proofs have a few problems from mishandling or cleaning over the years, which makes the present exceedingly choice example among the finest examples of the date certified by NGC. We expect this coin will be off the market for many years after it sells. Pop 1; 7 finer; 3 in 65; 2 in 66; 2 in 67. (PCGS # 88476) . A new President was sworn into office last month. In 1881, another President took the reigns of power. James A. Garfield was a great president, if by "great" one illustrates greatness by not doing dasterdly things. Garfield took office in March of 1881. The man was a marvel who could write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other - at the same time! Estimated Value $16,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $21,275
Lot 1483		1881-S $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-60. Probably Breen 6717. S over O. Under magnification there appears to be a small 0 at the center of the "S" mint mark as desscribed by Breen and noted "Very Rare". In an old green label holder (PCGS # 8357) . Estimated Value $400 - 500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $483

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