1861-S $5 Liberty Head Half Eagle PCGS AU53

The offering of this rare piece presents an extremely important opportunity for the advanced collector. The 1861-S half eagle had a small mintage of 18,000 coins, literally all of which circulated in the Old West. PCGS has graded 7 as AU53 with one (AU55) finer. Collectors Universe gives this issue a price of $21,500.00 in AU53.

Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth (2006), discuss the 1861-S in their Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins: "Half eagles were the favored denomination on the West Coast during the early 1860s. Most of the small mintage of 1861-S half eagles was well circulated, and few examples have survived." 

Today in the 21^st century the average certified grade is below XF40. There have been no examples of this rarity certified as uncirculated by either PCGS or NGC. Therefore, this About Uncirculated specimen is among the finest-known examples, with sharp details that show just light high-point wear. Please take a careful look at the images provided of this honey-golden coin. Purchase this coin and you will have an 1861-S $5 that a higher grade than the example in the Smithsonian collection. (Per Garrett and Guth, it is an XF40.)

An original sketch of the Liberty head by Christian Gobrecht. Image: Wikimedia Commons.