1842-O $10 Liberty Head Eagle NGC AU55

Here's a rare issue in the New Orleans $10 Liberty Head eagle series with its mintage of 27,400. NGC has graded 36 as AU55, with 33 finer. This piece could serve as a type coin or as the centerpiece of a proud numismatist's collection.

The New Orleans Mint, where this great rarity was produced in 1842.

Gold specialist Doug Winter writes, "The 1842-O is only a moderately scarce issue in VF and EF. It becomes very scarce in the lower AU grades and is rare and underappreciated in the higher AU grades. This date is extremely rare in Uncirculated and it has been many years since a Mint State example has been available for sale....The 1842-O eagle is found with a better strike than the 1841-O or the 1842-O. The typical piece is weak at the central obverse, especially on the curls around the face and behind the ear of Liberty. The stars sometimes have strong radial lines but they are more often weak. The reverse is better struck than the obverse with good detail at the center and periphery."