1863 Liberty Head Eagle. AU-58 (NGC). This is an historic Condition Census example of the 1863 $10 and it is the very finest offered at auction since 2005, nearly two decades ago. A magnificent specimen with incredible prooflike reflectivity in the fields and exceptional eye appeal for the grade. Hints of yellow-gold iridescence accent the pale sandy-gold surfaces. Minor bagmarks are noted under a glass but traces of actual handling are minimal. Truly superior in all respects; only three coins have beens graded finer by NGC. Yearly production of circulation strike eagles at the Philadelphia Mint fell off markedly after Northern banks stopped paying out gold coins at par in exchange for paper currency in late December 1861. While the 1862 was produced in far fewer numbers than the 1861, the effects of this suspension in specie payments on eagle production really came to the fore in 1863, when just 1,248 were struck, one of the lowest mintages for a circulation strike No Motto Liberty eagle. A celebrated rarity that is always in demand among advanced gold enthusiasts, the extant population for the 1863 is thought to be fewer than 50 coins across the grading spectrum. <em>PCGS CoinFact</em>s accounts for just 30 to 45 survivors across all grades. Mint State examples are so rare that most numismatists will never even see one, leaving a Choice AU specimen as effectively the finest one could hope to acquire. This superior AU-58 (NGC) is newly available for the first time since 1997 and represents an important offering for an advanced specialist. From the Dr. Paul and Rosalie Zito Collection. Acquired September 4, 1997.
