10 Gem Uncirculated $20 Gold Pieces
All graded PCGS MS-65

That is a grade that PCGS doesn't award lightly.

In 1960 $20 gold pieces traded for about $40.00 each, with circulated and uncirculated pieces treated nearly the same. At that level a few astute collectors began picking the tiny number of $20's with few bag marks, no wear, outstanding eye appeal, and great luster like today's offering of MS-65's. Smart and lucky if they put those coins away for long term. Some coin dealers objected to collectors taking so much of their time to study the coins and make those selections.

In 1960 the price of gold was $35.00 per ounce. ($1,851.00 on June 3, 2022)
Today's state of the art coin slabs were 26 years from being created.

The reward for that extra time was an extra few hundred dollars today, versus the current price for run-of-the-mill circulated and low level uncirculated coins.

The common date coins we are offering today are priced at a premium of 48% above the "melt (scrap gold)" value of $20's. Premiums on certified MS-65's have usually been much higher over the past 30 years or so.


$2,655 each
1917 McKinley Commemorative gold $1

Graded NGC MS-64

To partially fund the building of a monument to the deceased President in his birthplace Niles, Ohio, the Philadelphia mint struck a total of 20,000 legal tender gold $1 Commemoratives in 1916 and 1917, with only 5,000 of those being struck in this the final year of 1917.

The NGC grade of MS-64 is well deserved.

There is only one thing that we want to point out. On the reverse side of the coin midway between the monument's center and the coin's right edge there is a dark spot that numismatists call a copper spot. That occurred when the gold that made up 90% of the coin's composition was melted with a small amount of copper with the copper not completely dissolving. A spec of copper found its way to a place near the coin's surface and bled through over the years. It doesn't kill the value or the grade but most people would prefer the same coin without the copper spot.

$685
1849 $1 gold piece

NGC AU-58 - Closed wreath variety

In 1849 America struck $1 gold pieces for the first time.

$10 gold, $5 gold, and $2.50 gold pieces had been around since the late 1700's.

Two different $1 gold varieties were struck in 1849, the open wreath and the closed wreath. The difference is not readily noticed. The values of the two are essentially the same with the closed wreath coin being the first choice by a slim vote.

This coin is known as the 'Type 1' and was made from 1849 through 1854. Part way through 1854 the diameter size was enlarged (weight remained the same), presumably because the smaller size coins were so small that they were sometimes lost. The larger coins were minted through 1889 with two slightly different designs, known as the 'Type 2' and the 'Type 3.'


$625

 1851 $1 gold piece - Choice Uncirculated
NGC MS-63

Not a rare date for Type 1 gold dollars but an attractive certified choice uncirculated coin with absolutely no room for complaint.



$735
1853-O $1 gold piece
PCGS AU-58

The grading service gave it the highest AU grade of 58, and that is our call too. There are no major blemishes and no evidence of cleaning. A trace of wear is the only negative feature to be seen here which is why it is only an AU.

$1 gold pieces were made every year from 1849 through 1889.

But New Orleans mint $1 gold pieces were only made in six of those years, five Type 1's and one Type 2 (by far the rarest). That set of six coins would be fairly easy to complete with this one being a nice start.

$585

1849 $10 Gold Piece
PCGS graded XF 45 RPD

On its grading label PCGS identifies the prepunched date (RPD) as a minor variety, one that has not garnered a high level of attention or demand in the marketplace.

The label additionally identifies the coin as having been part of the Fairmont Collection, which again is of limited significance. The term Fairmont refers to a recent numismatic sale but it isn't one of the largest or most notable.

Nonetheless, the coin itself is deserving of its grade. Its strike is strong making the date details clear, there are no significant marks or blemishes, and it has not been cleaned as is so often the case with gold Eagles in the 1840's.


$1,485

1856 Double Eagle

$20 gold piece graded NGC AU-50

First type - no motto In God We Trust on the reverse. That was added to $20 gold pieces in 1866.

The AU grade is indicative of a number of bag marks, more on the obverse than on the reverse but only a very small amount of wear.

Not a rare date by any means but most of the preCivil War $20's saw heavy use especially during the war years. Nice AU's and Unc's are hard to find.




$3,100
1883 3 cent nickel graded PGGS Proof 64......with a story

In 1851 our government began striking small 3 cent silver coins and continued doing so through 1873. All of them were struck in Philadelphia except for some of the first year's coins that were struck in New Orleans.

Because the small coins were subject to hoarding by the public, America created another style of 3 cent coins, larger in diameter but with no silver content. These coins were made of 75% copper and 25% nickel but through the years they have been known as 3 cent NICKELS.

Usually the vast majority of any coinage issue consists of an overwhelmingly large percentage of the coins being "business strikes," issued for general circulation with a small number of proof strikes. That wasn't the case in 1883 when a low mintage of 10,609 3 cent nickels were struck with 6,609 of them being proofs and only 4,000 business strikes.

So as it turns out, this 1883 3 cent nickel in proof condition is worth LESS than most 1883 3 cent business strikes, which is almost never the case.


$485
1(800) 535.1853 - (504) 522-3305 - jhcohen@bellsouth.net - cohenantiques.com