1858 Liberty Head Half Eagle. AU-53 (PCGS). CAC. Original honey-rose surfaces are lustrous with most design elements boldly rendered. One of only 15,136 Philadelphia Mint half eagles of the date produced -- the mintage for eagles of this date was just 2,521 pieces, as Philadelphias coinage presses were kept busy in this year churning out 211,714 double eagles. The 1858 inaugurates a run of low mintage fives from the parent mint that continues through 1860, and market appearances are usually few and far between. Prior to 2020, we last offered a circulation strike 1858 half eagle in 2013, in fact, the intervening seven years seeing several examples of the 1858-C, 1858-D and 1858-S pass through our sales. Clearly this is an underrated issue relative to the more highly regarded mintmarked issues of its era, the Fairmont specimen offered here representing a fleeting bidding opportunity for the astute gold collector. PCGS# 8276. NGC ID: 25V7. PCGS Population: 9; 28 finer, just 12 of which are Mint State (MS-64+ finest). CAC Population: 13 in all AU grades. From the Fairmont Collection.
