In January, we showcased a special group of $10 Liberties struck during the California Gold Rush....
Mysteriously Rare Mint Type Set
In the late 19th century, the American $5 Half Eagle became one of the world’s most in-demand gold coins. Merchants, banks, and traders preferred coins weighing approximately 1/4 oz. for everyday trade. It’s no surprise that the economic superpowers of the time all made a coin in this general size (such as the British Sovereign and French/Swiss 20 Franc). As the United States became a larger force on the international stage, its $5 Liberty gold coin gained in acceptance
![](https://mcusercontent.com/e8c317870a04e86801c43f4f6/_compresseds/091c403a-bc3a-7ea3-5235-a1c882d7248d.jpg)
This surge in popularity largely took place in the 1880's and 1890's. As one might expect, some of the most available dates in the entire $5 Liberty series were struck during this time. Dates like the 1881, 1882, 1886-S, and 1899 are the most commonly encountered. However, if one looks just before 1880, $5 Liberty mintages are drastically lower.
Simply put, there’s a massive difference between pre-1880 and post-1880 $5 Liberties. Coins struck before 1880 have substantially lower mintages and survival rates. While we struggle to provide a reason, something dramatic happened when the 1880's began. The Philadelphia and San Francisco mints cranked up production to many multiples of their pre-1880 levels.
To illustrate this phenomenon, consider the huge difference between 1879 and 1881 Half Eagles:
Mintage | Total NGC Population | |
1879-P | 301,920 | 781 |
1879-S | 426,200 | 781 |
1881-P | 5,708,760 | 18,563 |
1881-S | 969,000 | 2,071 |
Perhaps just as surprising: 1879-P and 1879-S Half Eagles trade for a modest premium over their generic counterparts. They’re 20x rarer than the most common date but, when they appear on the market, command just a 20-30% premium. Much like why Half Eagle production spiked in 1880, we can’t explain this anomaly. What we do know for sure: this pricing means opportunity for you!
We acquired a cache of 1879 and 1879-S Half Eagles graded PCGS AU58. These coins look like they were plucked from circulation 140 years ago; they show just slight traces of circulation with design details fully intact. In total we have 60 coins of each date, which we’re excited to offer as matched two-coin sets.
![](https://mcusercontent.com/e8c317870a04e86801c43f4f6/_compresseds/465b0fb6-aacc-1a03-b4ab-029c8bd163be.jpg)
![](https://mcusercontent.com/e8c317870a04e86801c43f4f6/images/bc935e33-bf29-b97e-93f2-4566481f7659.png)
- 1 x 1879 Philadelphia $5 Liberty Half Eagle in AU58
- 1 x 1879-S San Francisco $5 Liberty Half Eagle in AU58
- Just $1,349 per set.
- Buy 3 or more sets for just $1,299 each!
Quantities are limited, so don't delay!