Lot 2027
1859-C $5 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61. Lightly toned with nice luster. A remarkable 1859-C at this grade level. Lustrous golden surfaces exhibit deep russet gold vibrancy and iridescence in most areas. A few stray marks are present. The reverse strike is typically soft in most places for this date, and high-grade specimens are mainly judged by the overall quality of the obverse, which happens to be quite bold. From a mintage for the date of 31,847 pieces almost the entire mintage made it out the bank door and into circulation. Most of the survivors from that mintage are Very Fine or, at best, Extremely Fine. Douglas Winter calls the date Rarity-7 in AU preservation, indicating that fewer than a dozen are known. The present coin will attract wide attention.
(The reverse of virtually every known 1859-C half eagle is struck weakly. Many of the known impressions from the die also show evidence of die rust. This same reverse die was used in Charlotte in the following year, 1860, with the same comments regarding the reverse die being appropriate for half eagles of that date as well.) Pop 2; 1 in 62; 1 in 63; 1 in 66. (PCGS # 8281) .
Estimated Value $12,000 - 14,000.
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