1862 Liberty Head Half Eagle. AU-58 (PCGS). A vivid and beautiful example of a seldom offered Civil War era gold issue. Bathed in reddish-gold and deep orange colors, both sides also sport intense mint bloom in a semi-prooflike finish. Near-fully defined from a sharply executed strike.<p>The suspension of gold specie payments by Eastern banks in December 1861 resulted in an immediate reduction in half eagle output at the Philadelphia Mint. Whereas the facility delivered a record (for the era) total of 688,084 circulation strikes in 1861, the mintage for the 1862 is just 4,430 pieces. The 1862 is a highly elusive issue with <em>PCGS CoinFacts</em> estimating that fewer than 100 coins are extant in all grades. Particularly rare in Mint State, the significance of this superior quality and highly attractive AU-58 cannot be overstated. PCGS# 8292. NGC ID: 25VP. PCGS Population: 7; 6 finer, just four of which are Mint State (MS-62 finest).
