1873-CC Liberty Head Half Eagle. VF-30 (PCGS).Warmly patinated honey and olive-gold surfaces retain bold outline definition to all major design elements. Pleasingly smooth in hand, especially for the assigned grade, this is a desirable mid-grade example of a key date Carson City Mint half eagle issue. The Nevada coinage facility delivered only 7,416 half eagles in 1873, the coins seeing immediate and extensive use in local commerce. Such was the fate of most Carson City Mint gold issues, most examples of which eventually went to the melting pot after years of circulation. Among the early date half eagles, fortunate is the coin that was retrieved from commercial channels in later years, although for the 1873-CC few coins were so lucky. In his cataloging for our August 2012 sale of the fabulous Battle Born Collection, Carson City Mint expert Rusty Goe estimates that just 85 to 95 coins are extant in all grades. Q. David Bowers takes a more conservative view and allows for just 45 to 65 survivors. The present example is a significant representative from this extant population, offering significant eye appeal for the grade that is sure to draw considerable interest.From the Drummer Collection.
