1873-S Liberty Head Half Eagle. AU-50 (NGC).Light honey-gold surfaces support plenty of bold striking detail and traces of satiny mint luster. As with most San Francisco Mint gold issues from the Reconstruction era, the 1873-S half eagle was produced in small numbers -- 31,000 pieces -- and suffered a high rate of attrition through circulation. Survivors are elusive in an absolute sense. The present AU example is rare from a condition standpoint and is particularly desirable given that this issue is all but unknown in Mint State.NGC Census: 12; 35 finer, just one of which is Mint State (MS-61).Ex 2006 GSA Gold Sale.
