1874-CC $5 VF20 PCGS CAC

The 1874-CC $5 Liberty Head Half Eagle is widely regarded as one of the most collected Carson City issue of the 1870–1878 half eagle run. Its availability should not be overstated given a modest original mintage of just 21,198 pieces and a modern survival estimate hovering near 200 coins across all grades. Struck in the early decades of the Carson City Mint—when gold circulated heavily in the American West—most examples entered commerce immediately, and few were saved for collectors at the time. The present coin certified by PCGS and approved CAC has smooth, problem-free wear. The circulation softness is evenly distributed across the portrait and eagle, without the rough abrasions or rim disturbances often seen on CC gold of this period. With no auction record in the past 3 years, the last VF20 CAC examples sold were from the Fairmont Collection for $4,200 02/23 HA and a VF25 NGC CAC for $5,760 02/22 HA. Today with a lack of CC $5 in mid grade this coin has a published CAC Price Guide value of $5,250, it falls squarely in the sweet spot for collectors seeking an attractive, properly vetted mid-grade example without crossing into higher, far scarcer price tiers. This example represents an outstanding candidate for collectors assembling a Carson City type set, a CC date run, or those seeking a historically significant 19th-century gold piece tied directly to the legacy of the American frontier mint.