What is your favorite rare pre-1900 business strike gold coin? And why?
SethChandler
Posts: 1,718 ✭✭✭✭
Mine is the 1875 $10. I think something like 100/200 were made for circulation, and only about a dozen are known. I looked at a very nice XF/AU coin at the Dallas Bank Sale in 2001. Great coin, I believe it sold for $40k. Wouldn't it be an awesome collection if it only consisted of rare low mintage business strike gold coins? 1875 $5 and $10. 1854-S $2 1/2 1883-0 $10 1882 $20. Don't you find these kinds of coins really cool? There are no supergrades involved, just great RARE coins.
Collecting since 1976.
0
Comments
(I do find some of the territorial gold interesting, but I'm assuming you're not counting that?)
Why?
Cause I do 1897 and the 2.5 is hard to find in a decent grade. They seem to be junk or expensive MS66 with no in between grades.
I like this thread a lot. I will give you my favorites in increasing order of value (and decreasing likelihood of me ever obtaining one!). Naturally, they reflect my collecting interest in "CC" and "O" gold coins.
I like the one year types of the 1839-O $2.50 and 1909-O $5 (sorry, latter is after 1900 but belongs with New Orleans collection which is largely 19th century). My favorite is the 1861-O $20, which represents an important historic transition from the control of the mint from the United States to the State of Louisiana to the Confederacy. All three entities were responsible for a portion of the business strikes at various times. I also like the one year Type 3 1879-O $20, which is exceedingly rare.
My dream coin would be any of the 1870 CC denominations. Doug Winter recently posted interesting article on this topic on his website (below):
Carson City Gold Coins of 1870
Darktone,
I like your 1891-CC eagle. When you are through with it, will you sell it to me?
Masta,
Sorry to bore you. For me this discussion is a refreshing change of pace. Now, we can go back to talking about altered tone Morgans, bad guys on ebay, mint state Kennedy's, etc.
Frank
I like the one year types of the 1839-O $2.50 and 1909-O $5 (sorry, latter is after 1900 but belongs with New Orleans collection which is largely 19th century). My favorite is the 1861-O $20, which represents an important historic transition from the control of the mint from the United States to the State of Louisiana to the Confederacy. All three entities were responsible for a portion of the business strikes at various times. I also like the one year Type 3 1879-O $20, which is exceedingly rare
do you own these coins??? or just like them if so what grades
A cool year: the first year of the war.
Tom
But to keep it on Topic
"The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD GOD Almighty."
-Jarrett Roberts
For regular coins I like the $1 gold Princess.
I basically showed you my want list. I hope to have at least two of the "O" mint coins before the end of the year.
The favorite gold coin that I own is this 1880 CC $10 NGC AU-58:
Tony
President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay
Ha! You will have to send me no fewer than four of those 1891's! Nonetheless, yours is really a nice coin. It is nice to see a "CC" gold coin that has a natural luster (appears neither drab nor dipped).
It is also amazing to me that trends at the EF-45 level for the '91 and '92 CC $10 are $415 and $475, respectively. At the MS-62 level, this widens to $1400 and $5000, respectively. I guess it is because there are 8-fold as many '91's in high grade as there are "92's. Your coin was a terrific pickup for $350. How long ago was it? Is that sellar still giving nice gold coins away?
The $3.00 Indian Princess - pretty coin, tought in high grades (most grades) and it's a $3 coin
My posts viewed
since 8/1/6
RYK, I like your taste in gold....one year O mint type coins. Was the 1861- 0 struck by the CSA? I know that the half is the only official one. But who knows? I also saw the 1879-O in the Dallas Bank collection. It's the finest known. I graded it MS63. You would have loved the collection of O mint material. Simply the finest ever assembled.
Let me tell you an interesting story about the 1879-O. I worked in a coin store when I was a teenager. One day and old lady came in with four twenty libs, all raw and grouped together in a paper envelope. So I spilled them out on a velvet tray and what do I see first, but a CC mintmark. An exciting coin to anyone, especially a 16 year old. The second coin was an 1870-S in XF/AU, relatively common, the third was a common date...something in the 1860's. The last coin. Oh my! Was an 1879-O! At that time I knew it was a very rare coin. Somewhat reflective, as all are, I think. AU, but a few light rim bruises on the rev. The woman had no interest in selling, So I told her the ballpark values of the CC and 79-O and suggested that she get them autheticated and graded by PCGS. $20 bucks a coin, and with the 79-O having a shot at AU I felt it was worth it. PCGS graded the 79-O AU50 and the CC(1884) AU58. This was around 1986 or 1987. Cool Story, Yes?
Plus I too have always loved the 70-CC demoninations. Rarity, old west, gold, you can't beat'em. Have you seen any in person?
Dahlonega,
1861-D Gold Dollar, a truly rare and historic American Gold coin. Do you know how many are known?
BillJones,
50 coins known, that's rare especially in the grade that you have. How many were struck?
Northcoin,
Did anyone esle besides Breen look at you 1850 $20, like PCGS or NGC, or John J. Pittman?