1844-C Liberty Head Half Eagle. Winter-1, the only known dies. Die State III. AU-55+ (PCGS). CAC.

This premium quality example ranks among the nicest 1844-C half eagles at any grade level that we have ever brought to auction. Abundant satin luster remains to surfaces that are faintly prooflike in the fields. Displaying gorgeous medium gold color throughout, the strike is sharp in all but a few isolated areas in the centers. Rarer than even the mintage of 23,631 pieces might suggest, the 1844-C saw particularly heavy circulation due to a combination of factors. The first of these was a loss of confidence in the privately minted Bechtler coins among the contemporary public, and the second was a fire in the Charlotte Mint that forced a suspension in production in 1845 (there is no 1845-C half eagles). Finer than the typically encountered VF or low end EF survivor, the present premium Choice AU example will have great appeal for advanced Southern gold enthusiasts.

PCGS# 8220. NGC ID: 25T8.

PCGS Population: 1; 15 finer, eight of which are Mint State (MS-63 finest). CAC Population: just 6 in all AU grades, which includes examples certified by both PCGS and NGC.

From the Fairmont Collection-Hendricks Set.

Estimate: $ 5000