1844-C Liberty Head Half Eagle. Winter-1, the only known dies. Die State II. EF-45 (PCGS). CAC. Warm honey-gold with a tinge of orange-olive color, this is an uncommonly original Charlotte Mint $5. Appreciable luster remains to surfaces that retain bold striking detail to most design elements. Rarer than even the mintage of 23,631 pieces might suggest, the 1844-C saw particularly heavy circulation due to a combination of factors. The first of these was a loss of confidence in the privately minted Bechtler coins among the contemporary public. The second was a fire in the Charlotte Mint that forced a suspension in production in 1845 (there are no 1845-C half eagles). Finer than the typically encountered VF or low end EF survivor, the present premium EF-45 example will have great appeal for advanced Southern gold enthusiasts. PCGS# 8220. NGC ID: 25T8. CAC Stickered Population: 7; 8. From the Fairmont Collection - Rhone Set.
