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HomeUS CoinsA Dozen Unheralded San Francisco Gold Issues Which (Almost) Never Come Nice

A Dozen Unheralded San Francisco Gold Issues Which (Almost) Never Come Nice

By Doug WinterRareGoldcoins.com

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There are numerous San Francisco issues that are known for their typically ratty appearance. This “rattiness” may be the result of extensive commercial use, numismatic abuse, or poor strike/planchet preparation. This blog is not about these issues; it is about some of the seemingly more available issues which–in my experience–are surprisingly difficult to locate with good eye appeal.

Not all of these issues are rare; some are actually fairly available in terms of total extent. But all of these have proven to be more elusive than most collectors realize if good eye appeal is taken into account. The best thing about this group of a dozen issues: they are for the most part affordable.

1865-S $2.50 NGC AU55 CAC.

1865-S $2.50 NGC AU55 CAC. All images courtesy Douglas Winter Numismatics

1. 1865-S Quarter Eagle

While not as rare as its other San Francisco Civil War counterparts, the 1865-S quarter eagle is a tough coin to locate with original color and nice surfaces. Many are softly struck and few retain their natural color. This date is quite rare in Uncirculated but still affordable; I recently sold a nice PCGS MS62 for around $8,000 USD and this issue is a population 4 issue in this grade with just two finer.

1875-S $2.50 PCGS MS63 CAC

1875-S $2.50 PCGS MS63 CAC

2. 1875-S Quarter Eagle

This is an unheralded date that isn’t really that scarce in circulated grades but which is really tough in AU55 and better with good eye appeal. Most are seen with an especially grainy appearance and the obverse has a soft, somewhat sunken appearance. There are around a dozen known in Uncirculated (mostly in the MS62 to MS63 range) which leads me to think a small hoard existed at one time.

1855-S $3.00 PCGS MS61

1855-S $3.00 PCGS MS61

3. 1855-S Three Dollars

The 1855-S is popular as the first of just four regular issue Three Dollar gold pieces from San Francisco and it is the rarest both in terms of overall and high-grade rarity. This date is usually found in the EF45 to AU53 range and almost never with natural color and choice surfaces. This date becomes expensive in AU58 and very few of the pieces I have seen in these holders are choice. I am aware of three or four in Uncirculated with the finest being the Pogue PCGS MS62+, which sold for $55,225 in early 2016.

1861-S $5.00 NGC AU55 CAC

1861-S $5.00 NGC AU55 CAC

4. 1861-S Half Eagle

With just a few exceptions (1855-S and 1856-S), the No Motto half eagles from this mint are really hard to locate with original color and choice surfaces. I chose one date–the 1861-S–as I find it to be underrated in spite of its obvious rarity and Civil War issuance. I’ve never personally seen an 1861-S which graded higher than AU53 to AU55 and I can count on one hand the number of choice pieces I’ve seen which graded higher than Extremely Fine.

1872-S $5.00 NGC EF45 CAC

1872-S $5.00 NGC EF45 CAC

5. 1872-S Half Eagle

A number of San Francisco half eagles from this era fit the rarity profile shown by the 1872-S. This date is only moderately scarce below AU50 but it becomes very scarce in AU55 and very rare above this. I have seen or handled a number of AU 1872-S half eagles (BTW: a nice AU55 at around $4,000 is an exceptional value) but very few of these have been nice. No one currently seems to care about this date but it is extremely undervalued.

1875-S $5.00 NGC AU55 CAC

1875-S $5.00 NGC AU55 CAC

6. 1875-S Half Eagle

This date gets overshadowed by its low-mintage counterpart the 1876-S but it is scarce in terms of its overall rarity (under 100 exist) and it is very hard to find in nice AU with original “skin.” Other than one great Uncirculated example–an NGC MS64 which was earlier sold as a PCGS MS63 in the Bass II auction–there are very few choices pieces known. Many have been scrubbed and the quality of strike seen on this date is below average.

1855-S $10.00 PCGS AU53 CAC

1855-S $10.00 PCGS AU53 CAC

7. 1855-S Eagle

I have written about this date before and I like the 1855-S eagle a lot. Not only is it extremely hard to locate above EF45, virtually all the coins in AU holders are either scrubbed or ultra-baggy. I can recall maybe two or three really nice EF 1855-S eagles, one of which I sold at a FUN show around three or four years ago. The PCGS Price Guide for an EF45 is only $4,200 and if you can find a really nice one at around this level, you’ve just ripped a coin.

1862-S $10.00 PCGS AU55 CAC

1862-S $10.00 PCGS AU55 CAC

8. 1862-S Eagle

At today’s levels no Civil War eagle can be said to be underpriced. But at least one–the 1862-S–is underappreciated in my opinion. There are around 60 known in total and I would guesstimate that 85-90% of these are unappealing. This is especially true in higher grades (AU50 and up in this case) where the 1862-S is a major appearance rarity. A properly graded AU55 with original surfaces is extremely rare and it would represent excellent value at anything near the current PCGS Price Guide of $16,500.

1870-S $10.00 NGC AU53+ CAC

1870-S $10.00 NGC AU53+ CAC

9. 1870-S Eagle

This is a much overlooked issue with fewer than 100 known from the mintage of 8,000. For some reason, it seems that virtually every 1870-S I have seen in AU grades has been cleaned and/or has been unappealingly recolored. When you couple this was the fact that all 1870-S gold coinage was roughly handled, you get an issue which almost never comes nice. The Bass/Eliasberg PCGS MS61 brought $36,800 back in 2000 and it appears to have never resurfaced.

1882-S $10.00 PCGS MS62

1882-S $10.00 PCGS MS62 (IMAGE COURTESY OF HERITAGE)

10. 1882-S Eagle

I hesitated to include this date as there is always the possibility that a bag of 1882-S eagles is waiting to be found in a Swiss bank. But this is a date that while comparatively available in MS60 to MS63 is almost always excessively abraded and has somewhat impaired luster as a result. The 1882-S is very rare above MS63 and even if a bag exists, it is doubtful that many (if any) will be Gems.

1858-S $20.00 NGC AU58

1858-S $20.00 NGC AU58

11. 1858-S Double Eagle

The 1858-S is one of the few Type One San Francisco double eagles whose rarity profile wasn’t greatly altered by the shipwreck discoveries of the 1990s and 2000s. It remains a rare coin in Uncirculated with virtually all of the known pieces in the MS60 to MS61 range. In fact, the unquestioned finest-known graded MS63 by PCGS–and now in the Hansen Collection–is the best I’ve seen by two full points. In AU55 and AU58, the 1858-S is sometimes available with good eye appeal but much less often than the 1859-S through 1861-S double eagles.

1887-S $20.00 PCGS MS62 CAC

1887-S $20.00 PCGS MS62 CAC

12. 1887-S Double Eagle

I’ve been a big advocate of the 1887-S double eagle for many years and have watched its price level soar. Decent looking MS61 and MS62 examples have become more available due to finds in Europe but this date remains nearly impossible to locate above MS63. The best I have handled is the Pittman I: 1157 coin which I bought raw in 1997 for $7,700 and later sold it for a nice profit after it graded MS64 at PCGS.

Do you have any favorite dates which in your experience “don’t come nice?” Let’s hear from you in the “comments” section or feel free to email me to discuss your observations at [email protected].

Doug Winter Numismatics, specialists in U.S. gold coins

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About Doug Winter

Doug_Winter2Doug has spent much of his life in the field of numismatics; beginning collecting coins at the age of seven, and by the time he was 10 years old,  buying and selling coins at conventions in the New York City area.

In 1989, he founded Douglas Winter Numismatics, and his firm specializes in buying and selling choice and rare United States coins, especially US gold coins and all branch mint material.

Recognized as one of the leading specialized numismatic firms, Doug is an award winning author of over a dozen numismatic books and the recognized expert on US Gold. His knowledge and exceptional eye for properly graded and original coins has made him one of the most respected figures in the numismatic community and a sought after dealer by collectors and investors looking for professional personalized service, a select inventory of impeccable quality and fair and honest pricing.  Doug is also a major buyer of all US coins and is always looking to purchase collections both large and small.  He can be reached at 214-675-9897.

Doug has been a contributor to the Guidebook of United States Coins (also known as the “Redbook”) since 1983, Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Coins,  Q. David Bowers’ Encyclopedia of United States Silver Dollars and Andrew Pollock’s United States Pattern and Related Issues

In addition he has authored 13 books on US Gold coins including:
  • Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint: 1839-1909
  • Gold Coins of the Carson City Mint: 1870 – 1893
  • Gold Coins of the Charlotte Mint: 1838-1861
  • Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint 1838-1861
  • The United States $3 Gold Pieces 1854-1889
  • Carson City Gold Coinage 1870-1893: A Rarity and Condition Census Update
  • An Insider’s Guide to Collecting Type One Double Eagles
  • The Connoisseur’s Guide to United States Gold Coins
  • A Collector’s Guide To Indian Head Quarter Eagles
  • The Acadiana Collection of New Orleans Coinage
  • Type Three Double Eagles, 1877-1907: A Numismatic History and Analysis
  • Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint, 1838-1861: A Numismatic History and Analysis
  • Type Two Double Eagles, 1866-1876: A Numismatic History and Analysis

Finally Doug is a member of virtually every major numismatic organization, professional trade group and major coin association in the US.

Doug Winter
Doug Winterhttps://www.raregoldcoins.com
Doug Winter founded Douglas Winter Numismatics (DWN) in 1985. The nationally renowned firm specializes in buying and selling rare United States gold coins. He has written over a dozen books, including the standard references on Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans gold coinage, and Type 1 Liberty Head Double Eagles. Douglas has also contributed to the A Guidebook of United States Coins, Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Coins, Q. David Bowers’ Encyclopedia of United States Silver Dollars, and Andrew Pollock’s United States Pattern and Related Issues. He is a member of the PNG, the ANA, the ANS, the NLG, CAC, PCGS, and NGC - among other professional affiliations. Contact Doug Winter at [email protected].

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