Vitae

• Half Eagle 1838 - 1861
• Liberty Head 1839 - 1861
• Diameter: 22.5 millimeters
• Fineness: .900
• Weight: 129 grains
• Designer: Christian Gobrecht
• Edge: Reeded
• Coiner: John R. Bolton

In high grades (i.e., AU-50 and above), the 1858-C is the most common half eagle from the Charlotte Mint. The quality of strike seen on this issue is above average. Most are well defined at the centers with just a bit of weakness on the hair surrounding the face of Liberty. In addition to showing heavy marks from circulation, many have areas of mint-made roughness. This is often heaviest on the reverse. The luster is usually good and the color on original pieces is an attractive medium orange-gold hue. Two varieties are known. One has the same reverse seen on 1861-C half eagles while the rarer one has the a reverse used only in 1858. As many as 225-235 exist with nearly 80% of these grading Extremely Fine or less. There are 38-40 in the various About Uncirculated grades and six to eight in Mint State.

Condition Census

1. Martin Paul inventory, ex Superior 2/97: 2961 (where sold as a "raw" MS-63), earlier owned by Mike Brownlee/Robert Leece. Now in an NGC MS-63 holder.
2. Private collection, ex Elrod collection, NGC MS-62.
3. North Georgia collection, graded MS-61 by PCGS and choice for the grade.
4. (tie) Stack's 5/95: 511, ex Ed Milas, graded MS-61 by NGC (and) Paul Dingler collection, graded MS-61 by PCGS. The coin illustrated on this web site.
5. (tie) Avena Rare Coin Co. Inventory, 1997, ex Heritage 1996 FUN sale: 6010, various Heritage "Bullet" sales, ca. 1995, Joe Jaffe. Graded MS-62 by NGC, earlier graded MS-60 by NGC (and) 1993 ANA: 5688, later graded MS-60 by PCGS. Identifiable by a long, thin obverse scratch.