1856-S $5 MS60 PCGS CAC

Due to the preference of hard money as opposed to paper money during the pre-Civil War era in the West, gold coins were the ordinary means of exchange for decades up until the 1890s. Since lower denominations of gold coins were in very high demand, the whole 105,100 mintage of the 1856-S Half Eagle coins were circulated in order to supply for the demand of the public. This eventually led to the Half Eagle gold coin becoming one of the mediums in commerce throughout the US and especially the West.

This 1856-S $5 MS60 piece is a solid top of the list offering from the earliest days of the San Francisco Mint coinage. The details of the strike are perfect throughout  and the surface extremely smooth for its grade and circulation. The breathtaking preservation of the specimen makes it distinctly scarce. Examples are typically in grades that are VF to low-end AU.

From its total mintage, only 225 are estimated to survive. 1856-S $5 is an incredibly important date for US Numismatists, not only because it is a popular Date Set but also because the rarity of this coin has been overshadowed by its $20 counterpart. This phenomenal specimen is a Mint State 1856-S Half Eagle with a CAC POP of 2 and 2 finer. The last comparable coin selling for $33,600 04/22 ST a MS62 PCGS CAC, whilst no MS60 CAC sale has ever occurred nor in MS61, though MS60 has a CAC Price Guide of $11,000. It is truly a superb piece for its grade and we wouldn’t be surprised if this was a MS61, given its luster, eye appeal and lack of mark.

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PCGS Cert Verification #25642656

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