1845-O $5 Liberty Head Half Eagle NGC MS61 Ex.SS New York

A truly remarkable example of this scarce New Orleans issue. Among the few survivors of the original 41,000 pieces struck, fewer than a dozen examples have been graded Mint State by the two major grading services, and there is a good chance that some of these records are from repeat submissions of the same coin. Among the fewer than 100 survivors Doug Winter estimates to exist, he counts no more than five or six truly Mint State examples.

This coin is a landmark among the survivors.

Warm yellow gold surfaces show incredible lustre and eye appeal. The devices are invitingly frosty in texture, while the obverse field in particular shows just a hint of reflectivity and just a few scattered marks that are barely visible without magnification. Marks are a little more numerous on the reverse, but the visual quality is still excellent. One of the two finest examples of the date from the shipwreck graded by NGC, as PCGS has not rated a single coin with the S.S. New York provenance. Doug Winter's top five Condition Census includes three coins graded MS-61, so this piece is a strong candidate for the second or third finest position. A very rare coin in this grade, very beautiful, fresh, original, and very desirable.

From the wreck of the S.S. New York.