By Greg Reynolds for CoinLink

An 1839 ‘Head of 1838′ Eagle ($10 gold coin) is ‘in the news’ as Heritage just sold one that is graded “MS-62” by the Numismatic Guaranty Corp. (NGC). On March 27, it realized $33,350 in an Internet Auction.

An 1839 ‘Head of 1838′ in Very Fine grade would retail for between $1000 and $2000. A specific price would partly depend upon surface characteristics, eye appeal and pedigree.

The finest known 1839 ‘Head of 1838′ Eagle gathered a lot of attention when it sold for $402,500 at a Heritage auction in January 2005, in Fort Lauderdale. It was part of a fantastic gold type set, awkwardly called the “Gold Rush Collection.” This set was assembled by an unnamed collector under the guidance of Al Adams.

Someone who browses through price guides, reference books, and auction catalogues might wonder if a half-dozen varieties of 1839 Eagles exist. It may come as a surprise to learn that ‘Head of 1838,’ ‘Old-style head,’ 1839/8, and ‘Large Letters’ all refer to the same 1839 Eagles. Likewise, ‘Head of 1840,’ ‘New-style head’ and ‘Small Letters’ are all labels used to refer to the same 1839 Eagles, of the second category, ‘Head of 1840.’ The focus here is on 1839 Eagles in the first category, ‘Head of 1838.’

In late 1839, the design of Eagles was changed. In 1988, the eminent researcher Walter Breen said that there were three dates of 1839 Eagles. One has the ‘Head of 1840′, and two feature the ‘Head of 1838,’ an 1839/8 overdate and an 1839 with ‘normal date.’

Most experts now believe that there is just one 1839 ‘Head of 1838′ date. Some call it an overdate, and others do not. There is a consensus that all such coins were struck with one pair of dies. (more…)

By Greg Reynolds for CoinLink

An 1855-D One Dollar Gold coin ‘made the news’ when it was auctioned for $149,500! This 1855-D was sold on February 13 by the firm of Ira and Larry Goldberg at the Beverly Hills Crowne Plaza. It was part of a large auction event that spanned several days, and was held just prior to the Long Beach (CA) coin, stamp and collectible expo.

Why is this coin important? It is the rarest Type 2 One Dollar Gold piece. It is the only Type 2 date that was struck at the branch of the U.S. Mint that was in Dahlonega, Georgia. It is the finest 1855-D Dollar that I have seen, and it is certainly one of the four finest known examples of this date, which is very rare in all grades.

There are three types of U.S. One Dollar Gold pieces. Type 1 is the Liberty Head that was minted from 1849 to 1854. Type 2, of larger diameter than the Type 1, is the so called ‘Indian Princess,’ minted from 1854 to 1856. Type 3 is a variation of the ‘Indian Princess’ design, though it looks quite different from the Type 2 design. Type 3 One Dollar Gold pieces were minted from 1856 to 1889.

What is a ‘type coin’ and is an 1855-D a ‘type coin’? In a sense, all regular U.S. coins, and their proof counterparts, are type coins, as each is representative of a design type. Usually, however, the least rare dates of each type that are referred to as ‘type coins.’

In the case of gold dollars, it is too easy for a wealthy collector to just complete a type set. Examples of the least rare dates of all three types are very much available. A choice uncirculated, MS-63 grade, Type 2 One Dollar Gold piece may require a little searching and more than $10,000, but MS-63 grade Type 1 and Type 3 pieces would be easy to obtain for less than $1000. So, an 1855-D One Dollar Gold coin may appeal to a type collector who desires more of a challenge, has some patience, and wishes to make his set more exciting than a typical type set. (more…)