1872-CC $5 Liberty Head Half Eagle NGC F12 (CAC) - Ex. John McCloskey

This is a rarity among Carson City $5 gold pieces, for PCGS estimates that fewer than 100 exist today. Considering that 1872 was only the third year of operation, the Carson City mint produced a respectable--albeit quite small--mintage of 16,980 half eagles that year. Most 1872 $5 coins carrying the "CC" mintmark saw heavy circulation, for using paper money in commerce was anathema in the Old West.

NGC has only graded 76 of this issue. There are 11 in F, with 64 finer. In CAC, there are 7 in F12 and F15, with 19 finer. Gold specialist Doug Winter writes, "Half eagles, as a rule, have become a much more collected denomination in the last few years. For many collectors, gold dollars and quarter eagles are too small, three Dollar gold pieces are too weird, and eagles/double eagles have gotten really expensive. That leaves half eagles as a sweet spot for a number of new (and existing) collectors."

The St. Charles Hotel in Carson City during the 1870s.