1875自由头半鹰金币 PCGS Proof 65
1875 Liberty Head Half Eagle. JD-1, the only known dies. Proof-65 Cameo (PCGS).
A phenomenal example of this rare and seldom offered date in the Liberty Half eagle series. Solidly graded as a Gem, both sides of this beautiful specimen possess vivid golden-orange patina. The devices are sharply struck with a soft satin texture that contrasts nicely with deep pools of reflectivity in the fields.
Carefully preserved with outstanding visual appeal, this coin would serve as a focal point in even the finest numismatic cabinet. With just 20 pieces produced and an extant population of eight to 10 coins (per John W. Dannreuther, 2018), the Proof 1875 half eagle is a legendary rarity in its own right.
This date is of even further significance to advanced gold collectors given that the Philadelphia Mints circulation strike issue of the year is also a low mintage rarity with just 200 coins produced and an estimated extant population of fewer than 10 pieces. And given the absence of any Mint State survivors, collectors have historically used one of the beautiful high grade Proofs, as here, to fill the void in Gem quality collection of circulation strike Liberty half eagles. The number of Proof 1875 half eagles available for private ownership is even more limited than the aforementioned estimate might imply.
At least three examples are impounded in museum collections: two examples in the Smithsonian Institution and one coin in the ANS, leaving as few as 5 examples in collector hands. Three of these examples came to the auction market in the years 2014 and 2015, but in the preceding decade, just a single example was to be had at auction, the piece in our (Stack’s) 70th Anniversary Sale in 2010. As one of the finest certified and also one of the finest available for private ownership, this outstanding rarity is sure to see spirited bidding at auction, especially among bidders considering that another 5 to 10 years may pass before another comparable specimen comes to auction, if past market velocity is predictive of the future.
