EXTREMELY RARE 1838-C Charlotte $5 Gold Half Eagle Start Price USD 3,750.00 Current Price USD 3,750.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Sunday, July 06, 2008 End Time Sunday, July 13, 2008 Location Plainfield, IL See more about 'EXTREMELY RARE 1838-C Charlotte $5 Gold Half Eagle' Description This is an EXTREMELY RARE 1838 "C" CHARLOTTE United States Gold "Classic Head" $5.00 Half Eagle ( THE KEY DATE ! ) SLABBED AND AUTHENTICATED AT EF-40.    The "Classic Head" Gold Piece was only Minted for four (4) years, from 1834 through 1838.  1838 is the only year of the "Classic Head" that was ever minted in Charlotte (the year that the Charlotte Mint opened).  This 1838 "C" is the most rare of all of the "Classic Head" Half Eagles, with only 17,179 gold coins Minted in Charlotte that year.  This coin is graded at EF-40.  The grading of this coin appears very conservative, as it appears closer to EF-45 in our opinion.  We have considered sending the coin in to be re-graded.  We have included pictures of the coin BEFORE we sent it to be slabbed, so that you can see that the only damage is a clasp attachment mark at 12:00 on the obverse only.    This is not typical ex-jewelry-type damage.  The entire edge has all of its teeth, with no tampering, no repair or tooling.  There is only one (1) abrasion, on the obverse, at 12:00.   WE HAVE POSTED PHOTOS OF THE ENTIRE EDGE TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE MEAN.   Nevertheless, we discounted the value of the coin by about half as a result of the rim damage at 12:00 !!!  This rim damage is the ONLY blemish on this beautiful piece.  The coin has an excellent die-break on the reverse, running from 2:00 to 8:00, which adds individuality and an extra aesthetic to this already extremely rare and unique coin. HISTORY OF THE RARE "CLASSIC HEAD" GOLD HALF EAGLE:  In 1834, the "Classic Head" design made its debut, but the "Classic Head" only was Minted for four (4) years before being replaced with the famous "Liberty Head" design, in 1839.  The 1838 "C" CLASSIC HEAD that you are bidding on is the only Classic Head Minted at Charlotte, representing the last year that these coins were ever Minted, and is the KEY DATE for this rare, short-lived series.  WE HAVE LISTED THIS COIN FAR BELOW ITS CORRECT GRADE AND VALUE ABSENT THE RIM BLEMISH, SO THIS COIN IS A TRUE BARGAIN BY ANYONE'S STANDARDS. HISTORY OF THE CHARLOTTE MINT:  The discovery of gold in the southeastern United States in the early 1800's prompted miners in North Carolina and Georgia to call for the creation of local facilities. In fact, the situation in North Carolina was even more acute because North Carolina led the nation in gold production until the California Gold Rush of 1848. At the same time that Congress authorized the Dahlonega Mint in Georgia, Congress also authorized a "Sister Mint" in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Charlotte and Dahlonega Mints were the only two facilities whose production was limited to gold coinage. The Charlotte Mint produced gold coinage in three denominations during its 23 years of operation. The Charlotte Mint began minting Half Eagles in 1838. The Mint also began producing Quarter Eagles that year. No coins were produced in 1845 because, on July 27, 1844, virtually the entire structure burned to the ground. The Mint did not re-open until October 1846, resulting in lower numbers of coins produced in 1844 and 1846. The Gold Dollar denomination was introduced in 1849l. Unlike the Dahlonega Mint, there is no record of the Charlotte Mint ever producing $3 gold pieces. Coins were minted at the facility for 22 years, from 1838 until North Carolina seceded from the Union on May 21, 1861 and the Confederacy took control of the Mint. The Charlotte Mint was used as a hospital and headquarters by the Confederacy during the war. The facility never re-opened as a Mint Today, all of the Charlotte Mint's coinage is considered rare. Some of it is extremely rare in fact and, because of the coinage's special historical significance and investment potential, Charlotte Gold is coveted by investors and collectors alike. Charlotte (and Sister-Mint, Dahlonega) coins often have a different hue from other U.S. Gold pieces, including green-gold and red/orange gold casts, due to the alloy's high silver content, and are typically weakly struck on irregular planchets. As unappealing as this may sound to the uninitiated, to Dahlonega and Charlotte aficionados these traits give the coins charm and character. Regardless of denomination, any high grade Charlotte gold coin with a good strike and excellent eye appeal is a real treasure and, based on past history, has been a blue chip coin investment.  "CLASSIC HEAD COINS ARE RARE.    CHARLOTTE COINS ARE RARE.     THE 1838 IS THE ONLY "CLASSIC HEAD" CHARLOTTE-MINT COIN EVER MINTED.  For a wide selection of even more old, rare coins, please visit our EBAY store at J.W. World Coins...just click the tab on the right of this screen. AND SEE OUR VERY LIBERAL RETURN POLICY AND COUNTERFEIT COIN PROTECTION...THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. THANKS! Place a Bid!