It’s not often that I can say that an NGC Charlotte half eagle in VF30 is PQ but this coin is pretty darn nice for the grade and looks to me to be much closer to EF than VF. It is well detailed, problem-free and evenly worn with fully natural deep color. I’m guessing that NGC mistook the diagnostic weak reverse for wear because, as I said above, this coin sure looks a ton better than the typical VF 30 branch mint gold coin.

Variety 3. So-called “overdate” with the mintmark above the EN in TEN. Very few collectors know this but the 1846-O is among the hardest No Motto New Orleans eagles to find in higher grades, especially with good eye appeal. There are three Uncirculated pieces known (including an example that was salvaged on the S.S. Republic) and maybe another half dozen or so nice high end AU’s. I bought this example at the recent Baltimore show and while it is far from the most expensive coin I purchased there, it was the one piece that got me most excited. It is undipped and totally original with very attractive deep green-gold color on the obverse and reverse. There is little actual wear and the surfaces are frosty with scattered abrasions from rough handling in a bag (virtually every 1846-O eagle known is densely abraded and this piece actually has better surfaces than usual). I think this coin would have unquestionably been graded AU58 by NGC as recently as a few months ago and I think it is really exceptional for the date and grade. I can just about guarantee you that unless one of the three Uncirculated examples known comes on the market, you won’t find a better 1846-O eagle than this.

S.S. Central America. Variety 17C. Full Serif, Bold Left S. Coin # 6228 This superb borderline Gem is, of course, from the famous S.S. Central America shipwreck and it comes in the original gold foil PCGS slab. Unlike many examples of this date, this piece is not turning cloudy and it is as bright and vibrant as the day it was struck. The color is a very attractive light gold with some splashes of rose on the reverse. This coin has wonderful eye appeal with full definition on both sides, great luster and just a few light marks in the fields. I regard this as an exceptionally high end coin for the grade with strong claims to the MS65 level. In fact, I have seen many 1856-S double eagles from this source that were considerably more abraded and less appealing than this piece.