Lot 41
41
$5, 1854 AU-55 (PCGS). Sharply struck with lustrous light yellow gold surfaces. Choice quality. A few minor marks are seen in keeping with the assigned grade, but the aspect is far finer than normally encountered. Attractive orange toning is splashed on both obverse and especially the reverse. This issue marks a general reduction in Philadelphia Mint half eagle production quantities, a trend which continued until the end of the design type.
$5, 1854 AU-55 (PCGS). Sharply struck with lustrous light yellow gold surfaces. Choice quality. A few minor marks are seen in keeping with the assigned grade, but the aspect is far finer than normally encountered. Attractive orange toning is splashed on both obverse and especially the reverse. This issue marks a general reduction in Philadelphia Mint half eagle production quantities, a trend which continued until the end of the design type.

Details
$5, 1854 AU-55 (PCGS). Sharply struck with lustrous light yellow gold surfaces. Choice quality. A few minor marks are seen in keeping with the assigned grade, but the aspect is far finer than normally encountered. Attractive orange toning is splashed on both obverse and especially the reverse. This issue marks a general reduction in Philadelphia Mint half eagle production quantities, a trend which continued until the end of the design type.
Further details
This is the finer of two examples from the S.S. Central America treasure certified by PCGS. The following average mintages for different Liberty half eagle periods are for coins struck only in Philadelphia: the average from 1839 to 1842 was 74,734 per year, from 1843 to 1847 was 536,111 per year, from 1848 to 1853 was 285,919 per year, from 1854 to 1857 was 143,488 per year, and from 1858 to 1865 was 94,047 per year, this latter figure including 688,150 struck in 1861.