1853-D Round 50 Cents. BG-420. Rarity-7-. Liberty Head. MS-62 (NGC).

This lustrous and softly frosted example exhibits handsome light honey-gold color. Striking detail is bold to sharp throughout the design, the maker's initial D (for M. Deriberpie) crisp in the lower obverse field. Out of the 13 specimens of this variety listed by Bob Leonard in the 2003 edition of the Breen-Gillio reference on California small denomination gold coinage, one is permanently impounded in the Smithsonian Institution, at least two are impaired, and a couple of others are probably duplicates of others in the census. PCGS CoinFacts provides a more conservative Estimate: of nine to 11 pieces known, and with only eight grading events for Mint State examples listed at that service and NGC combined, this is a significant offering for specialists.

PCGS# 10456. NGC ID: 2BKA.

NGC Census: 1; 2 finer (both MS-64). The corresponding PCGS Population is 3/2 (MS-63 finest at tat service).

Estimate: $8000