1870 Liberty Head Eagle. AU-58 (NGC).Beautiful rose and orange-gold patina blankets this key date eagle. Both sides retain ample evidence of a prooflike finish from the dies, the fields notably reflective despite light rub and wispy handling marks that confirm the near-Mint grade from NGC. Sharply struck with virtually complete detail remaining throughout the design. As with virtually all Philadelphia Mint eagles from the 1860s and 1870s, the 1870 is a low mintage affair in circulation strike format with just 3,990 coins produced in this format. Gold had still not returned to commercial use in the East and Midwest, explaining the limited production for this denomination at the nations main coinage facility throughout much of the Reconstruction era. Survivors of the 1870 issue are very scarce in lower grades and rare to non-existent in AU and Mint State. In fact there is only one Mint State example certified (NGC MS-60), reinforcing the significance of the present offering for advanced collectors of Liberty Head gold coinage.
