Not only does the 1875 Liberty Gold Eagle (Buy on eBay) carry lowest mintage for the series, it also has the lowest mintage of any United States gold coin ever struck for circulation. The Philadelphia Mint produced the miniscule mintage of just 100 pieces. Needless to say, this is issue represents a prized rarity that generates considerable excitement whenever a specimen appears at auction.
It is estimated that only 12 to 15 examples of the 1875 Liberty Eagle exist across all grades. All known examples show wear from circulation and many are heavily abraded, although moderate proof-like qualities are sometimes present in the fields. The auction record is held by an example graded NGC AU-50, which sold for $372,000 in 2018.
In addition to the meager number of circulation strikes, the Philadelphia Mint also struck 20 pieces in proof format. Due to a higher survival rate, approximately an equal number of proofs and circulation strikes exist. The difference between a circulated proof and circulation strike is noted by the placement of the date, particularly the first digit.
The finest known proof example graded NGC PF 65 Ultra Cameo sold for $172,500 at auction in January 2007.
Coin Specifications
- Designer: Christian Gobrecht
- Composition: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
- Weight: 16.718 grams
- Diameter: 27 mm
- Edge: Reeded
