Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 28

Pre-Long Beach Coin Auction

U.S. Gold $5 Liberty 1839-1862

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 2243		1839-D $5 Gold Liberty. PCGS graded Fine-15. One of the most sought after and saleable branch mint gold coins. Only 18,939 half eagles were recorded as being struck at Dahlonega in 1839. Typically found in the Fine to Very Fine grade range, the 1839-D becomes very scarce in low AU and very rare in choice AU an above. The present example displays even technical wear and medium hairlines from an old cleaning. Violet toning has settled into the obverse and reverse periphery. A very pleasing "circ" example of this popular Dahlonega issue (PCGS # 8193) . Estimated Value $600 - 650. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,955
Lot 2244		1840 $5 Gold Liberty. ANACS graded AU-55 PQ. An original example with light greenish gold coloration and rich luster. Basically the detail and eye appeal of an AU-58 with light scratches on the reverse above the eagle's head. A very pleasing Broad Mill variety, the scarcer of the two types for this issue. Estimated Value $1,500 - 1,800. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,185
Lot 2245		1840 $5 Gold Liberty. Broad Mill. NGC graded AU-55. A pleasing example of this scarce variety. Broad Mill 1840 half eagles generally display strong detail as their borders protected the designs. Magenta toning adds to the already high level of eye appeal on this near choice AU example. NGC population of 29 in AU-55. Estimated Value $1,100 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,185
Lot 2246		1840-D $5 Gold Liberty. Sharpness of EF-45. Pitted surfaces and cleaned, still worth our conservative estimate. Estimated Value $1,250 - 1,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,553
Lot 2247		1840-O $5 Gold Liberty. NGC graded AU-55. Narrow Mill. A well struck example of this first year of issue of Gobrecht's Coronet Head design from the New Orleans Mint. Known to come in both Narrow Mill and Broad Mill formats, the Narrow Mill is the more common variety. Close inspection with a loupe will reveal the surfaces are micro-abraded, giving the coin a shimmering appearance. Only 35,500 were produced of this variety and survivors rarely are encountered above choice AU. Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,400. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,185
Lot 2248		1843 $5 Gold Liberty. NGC graded MS-63. Breen-6543, Normal Stars. Beautiful, soft satiny surfaces with original light golden color. Liberty's device appears frosty in relation to the fields and all detail on the devices and stars are strong. Close to Condition Census for this early "No Motto" half eagle from the Philadelphia Mint. While many of the Philadelphia issue half eagles from the 1840's have large mintages and high survival rates in lower grades, examples that grade MS62 or finer become very rare quickly. NGC population is 7 in MS-63, 8 in MS-64 and a single MS-65. Estimated Value $6,500 - 7,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $6,038
Lot 2249		1843-O $5 Gold Liberty. Small letters. PCGS graded EF-45. The New Orleans Mint struck half eagles in 1843 with two different reverse dies. The present variety, the Small Letters variety, was struck using leftover 1842 reverse dies. The second variety, the Large Letters variety, was struck using reverse dies shipped to New Orleans in the first quarter of 1843. Of these two varieties, the Small Letters is significantly scarcer. Between PCGS and NGC, the Small Letters variety is about twice as rare in terms of overall rarity and much scarcer with regards to conditional rarity. PCGS has graded only two uncirculated examples of this variety and the distribution of survivors between EF-40-AU-55 is even, only a few existing at each grade level. The present coin displays an abundance of mint frost on Liberty's device. The fields are lightly abraded, nothing major, and light hairlines are noted from an old wipe. A light hairline scratch exists under the eagle's left wing and continued towards the M of AMERICA. For all practical purposes, the eye appeal of this scarce variety is that of an AU-50 and serious gold specialists should view this coin carefully. PCGS population of 6 in EF-45 with only 11 finer (PCGS # 8217) . Estimated Value $1,100 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,898
Lot 2250		1847 $5 Gold Liberty. NGC graded MS-64. Breen-6567, Normal Date. Original light yellow gold surfaces with soft satiny luster that engulfs both obverse and reverse. Sharply struck on the devices and stars. Beautiful uninterrupted luster across the cheek. While the 1847 half eagle is the most common half eagle of the 1840's, it is not found with any frequency above MS-61. The present coin is an amazing Condition Census example of this "No Motto" half eagle. A notable opportunity to acquire this near-gem beaty! Most collectors would be hard-pressed to locate a nice and original MS63 example. For instance, Harry Bass, Jr. had three high grade 1847 half eagles in his collection, none grading higher than MS-63 at that time. The finest known is the Pittman-Farouk-Col. Green Specimen that David Akers described in his presentation of the John Jay Pittman Collection in 1997. Population 6 with none higher at NGC. Identified by a small scratch from the star 6 to star 7. There is a die break running from the denticle, in between star 3 and 4 and continuing to star 5. The reverse displays a die break that extends from the denticle in between the ES of STATES, continuing vertically down across the eagle's left wing to the talon holding the arrows at which point it splits, one part going down to the denticle to the right side of D and the other the left side of F of FIVE. Estimated Value $10,000 - 11,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2251		1847 $5 Gold Liberty. NGC graded MS-63. Breen-6567 Normal Date. Surfaces have a richer gold color than the preceding lot. Superb luster and strike detail. A small die crack exists from the border just past star 6 to the tip of the coronet. Another from border, through star 3 and midway into field. A flashy and impressive example of this No Motto half eagle. Once again, a rarity in this condition even though the 1847 is a common date in lower grades. NGC has graded 23 in MS-63 with 4 higher, all in MS-64. Estimated Value $4,500 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $5,175
Lot 2252		1847-C $5 Gold Liberty. Sharpness of AU. Lots of detail with some traces of luster, nevertheless, cleaned. Estimated Value $1,250 - 1,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,438
Lot 2253		1847-C $5 Gold Liberty. EF-40. Some light marks are scattered about. Scarce date not often encountered in grades above VF. Estimated Value $800 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,208
Lot 2254		1850-C $5 Gold Liberty. NGC graded VF-30. The wear is evenly distributed and the mint mark is nice and bold. Estimated Value $900 - 1,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,553
Lot 2255		1851-D $5 Gold Liberty. . Breen-6595. NGC graded AU-53. Lustrous yellow gold with tints of orange. While some hairlines do exist the majority of the surfaces display a delicate satiny texture. The left bottom of the 1 in the date is embedded in the dentils below, typical for this issue/variety. NGC population of 12 in AU-53, 13 in AU-55, 16 in AU-58, 1 in MS-61, 4 in MS-62 and 1 in MS-64 as finest. Estimated Value $3,200 - 3,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,795
Lot 2256		1855-S $5 Gold Liberty. NGC graded AU-55. Deep golden coloration with hints of orange. Lustrous with minimally abraded fields. The strike is actually quite strong for this issue and the look of this scarce coin is very appealing. The mintmark is very large and fully struck. While 61,000 half eagles were minted at San Francisco in 1855, this issue is undervalued and few survivors exist this nice. NGC has graded only 2 uncirculated specimens and an AU as solid as the present coin is tough. NGC population of 21 in AU-55 with only 21 finer. Estimated Value $2,700 - 3,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,105
Lot 2257		1857 $5 Gold Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Satiny luster with rich orange-gold coloration. Light patches of softer toning in the fields. Well struck and possessing original mint frost on the devices. Another example of a No Motto half eagle that becomes quite rare in the higher mint state grades. PCGS has grade 12 in this graded with a single MS-64 as the finest. (PCGS # 8271) . Estimated Value $4,500 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $5,463
Lot 2258		1859 $5 Gold Liberty. PCGS graded AU-53. Deep yellow gold surfaces with a light satiny texture are seen underneath mild abrasions. An AU-55 coin with a deep scratch left of Liberty's device. Mintage of only 16,734 at Philadelphia this year and a low population half eagle. PCGS population of 3 in AU-53, 3 in AU-55, 5 in AU58 and in MS-62 (PCGS # 8280) . Estimated Value $600 - 700. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $776
Lot 2259		1859-D $5 Gold Liberty. Medium D. PCGS graded MS-62 PQ. Here is a remarkable Condition Census example. Boldly struck including full definition within the stars and remarkably lustrous surfaces that boast of a higher grade, consequently our Premium Quality designation. The PCGS population reports only 2 in this grade with 3 in MS-63 and 1 in MS-64. We would like to compare the quality of this example with any of the top 4 and would not be surprised to find that its equal (PCGS # 8282) . Estimated Value $22,000 - 25,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $26,450
Lot 2260		1861 $5 Gold Liberty. NGC graded MS-64. Bright yellow gold surfaces are frosty and lustrous and free from any spotting or discoloration. Abrasions in the fields are minimal. Two factors continually make the 1861 half eagle a very desirable "type" coin for the 1839-1866 Without Motto design. First, this issue can be considered a Civil War Era issue and correspondingly attracts demand for that reason alone. Secondly, aside from the 1861, almost every other Philadelphia half eagle from this time frame is unobtainable in high uncirculated grades. This example can be identified by a short scratch between stars 5 and 6. NGC population of 32 in MS-64, 10 in MS-65 and 2 in MS-66. Estimated Value $6,000 - 7,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $6,900
Lot 2261		1862-S $5 Gold Liberty. PCGS graded AU-53. A very solid example of an issue that saw heavy circulation coupled with no collector demand at the time of issue. Of the 9,500 pieces produced at San Francisco in 1862, even die hard gold specialists would be hard pressed to find an example in a technical grade finer than this piece. With regards to strike, this example is above average with feather and hair detail quite pronounced. While light hairlines exist over semi-reflective fields, soft film has reduced the visual impact of this old cleaning. The luster on the reverse is similar to that found on AU58 specimens. A rare opportunity to acquire a very tough San Francisco half eagle issue. PCGS population of 2 in AU-53, 3 in AU-55 and 1 in MS-61 (PCGS # 8293) . Estimated Value $7,000 - 7,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $9,775