1870-S Gold Dollar. MS-64 (PCGS). CAC.
Lovely satin surfaces display pale golden-wheat shades with hints of warmer rose color in areas. Fully struck with intricate detail throughout the design, this exceptionally well preserved example and will be a highlight in the finest gold cabinet. The 1870-S issue was the last circulating gold dollar struck at San Francisco, which had last produced the denomination ten years earlier in 1860. The Type III gold dollar was only struck at the San Francisco Mint in five years: 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, and finally in 1870. Even though the gold dollar had lost much of its general function in circulation in most areas of the country, these coins did continue to see limited use in the West, which was probably the impetus for coining 3,000 pieces at San Francisco in 1870. Dies were prepared for an 1871-S issue in December of 1870, but went entirely unused. Some of the 1870-S gold dollars entered circulation, but were also popular for coin jewelry, as were privately produced small denomination gold "coins" (at this point better classed as tokens). However, the 1870-S was quickly noticed by a few numismatists in the 1870s and 1880s and some were saved. Today, maybe a little more than a hundred or so are believed extant in Mint State, though primarily at the lowest levels. In solidly graded MS-64 with CAC approval, this is a conditionally rare coin that would be difficult to improve upon.
PCGS# 7570. NGC ID: 25D7.
PCGS Population: 7; 8 finer (MS-66 finest) CAC Population: 4; 3.

Estimate: $11000