1856-S Liberty Head Half Eagle. EF-45 (PCGS). CAC.

Light golden-honey color to both sides, the surfaces are boldly defined and appreciably lustrous for the assigned grade. Because of distrust of paper money, gold coins were the workhorse medium of exchange in the Old West. The entirety of the 105,100 mintage of 1856-S half eagles immediately entered circulation with little notice and went to work helping to make a dent in the enormous demand for lower denomination gold coins. And stay there they did -- the half eagle denomination had long been popular in commerce throughout the United States and especially so in California. In all degrees of preservation, the issue is notably scarce. Of the survivors, the typically offered grades are VF to low end AU. For the Western Americana specialist, here is a significant opportunity to acquire an uncommonly high grade, exceptionally well preserved survivor from the earliest days of the San Francisco Mint. Underrated.

PCGS# 8270. NGC ID: 25UZ.

From the Fairmont Collection.

Estimate: $ 800