1854 Liberty Head Eagle. AU-58 (PCGS). CAC.
Both sides of this delightful 1854 Liberty Head eagle display a lovely blend of soft frosty luster and vivid golden-rose color. Boldly defined overall and very attractive at the assigned grade level. Even at an early date the 1854 eagle was regarded as scarce. An example is provided by lot 1265 in the Dr. James R. Chilton Collection sold by Bangs, Merwin, & Company in March 1865: "1854 Good and scarce. Dickeson, page 172." The Dickeson reference is to the American Numismatic Manual, the most impressive work on American rare coins produced up to that time. In the years to follow, 1854 eagles appeared at auction now and then, never with frequency, as large denomination circulation strikes were not particularly popular with early numismatists. Among those that were offered, nearly all were in lower circulated grades, generally what we would classify as VF or EF today. Exceptions are few and far between, one being lot 126 in the J.C. Morgenthau & Company sale of June 1940, simply described as "1854 Uncirculated." Fast forward to today and the 1854 remains very scarce in Choice AU and rare in Mint State. This is one of the nicest circulated survivors that we have ever handled, and would make a fitting addition to an advanced gold cabinet.
PCGS# 8613. NGC ID: 263G.
PCGS Population: 25; 20 finer (MS-64 finest). CAC Population: 6; 9.
From the Fairmont Collection - CAG Set.

Estimate: $2000