1896 Liberty Head Eagle. JD-1, the only known dies. Rarity-5+. Proof-65 Cameo (NGC). This is a breathtakingly beautiful example drenched in vivid reddish-gold and medium orange patina. The fields are deeply mirrored and possess the desirable "orange peel" texture of late 19th century U.S. Mint Proof gold coinage. The design elements, on the other hand, are set apart with a frosty texture. There is certainly enough field to device contrast here to suggest a Deep/Ultra Cameo designation by todays standards and, indeed, the NGC holder appears to be a somewhat older variant. Accuracy, however, does compel us to mention a few faint hairlines on the obverse that are easily overlooked at most viewing angles. Still a premium quality specimen for the assigned grade, and sure to sell for a strong bid to an astute gold collector.<p>It is an indication of the awesome rarity of classic U.S. Mint proof gold coinage that the 1896 eagle has one of the highest mintages of the type even though a mere 78 coins were struck. Along with the 1897 and 1898, this issue is one of the most consistently well struck and attractive in the entire Proof Liberty Head eagle series, making it a favorite among high quality gold type collectors. Most such numismatists will experience difficulty finding a suitable example of this issue, however, not because of an abundance of subpar examples, but because there are few Proof survivors of the date in general. Writing in the excellent reference <em>United States Proof Coins, Volume IV: Gold</em> (2018), John W. Dannreuther accounts for only 30 to 35 coins extant in all grades. Most of the survivors that have passed through the hands of your cataloger (JLA) over the last two decades are neither as technically sound nor aesthetically appealing as this condition rarity Gem Proof.
