United States 1873 5 dollars
This specimen was lot 2383 in SINCONA Auction 97 (Zürich, May 2025), where it sold for 2,250 CHF (about US$3,264 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted, "USA, 5 Dollars 1873, Philadelphia. Liberty head type. Open 3. PCGS MS63." Unlike the Charlotte and Dahlonega issues shown elsewhere on this site, this issue is fairly common. Gems, as always, bring a premium, but average quality XF-AU specimens trade as bullion. Ron Guth comments, "1873 Half Eagles are found with 'Closed' and 'Open' 3's in the date. The knobs of the Closed 3 are so close that the date can be mistaken for 1878 at a cursory glance. This defect was noticed early in the year and was corrected by opening up the 3 so that no mistake could be made. In terms of the rarity of certified examples, the Closed and Open 3 are about equal. The Closed 3 is slightly more common in Mint State and the grade distribution is similar for both. Gem examples of the Closed 3 are very rare, with the finest example being a single PCGS MS66."
Recorded mintage: 63,200.
Specifications: 8.359 g, 0.900 fine gold, .242 troy oz AGW, reeded edge, this specimen 8.75 g.
Catalog reference: KM 101, Fr-143.
- Alexander, David T., Coin World Comprehensive Catalog & Encyclopedia of United States Coins, Sidney, OH: Amos Press, 1995.
- Breen, Walter H., Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Coins, New York: Doubleday, 1987.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed., Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011.
- [1]Richter, Jurg, SINCONA Auction 97: World and Swiss Coins and Medals, SINCONA Bullion Auction, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2025.
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