1889 Liberty $5 Gold Coin, 1914 Indian head $2.5 Gold Coin

Hello, found these two little guys hiding in my late father-in-laws collection; back then he collected mostly current issue stuff 1964-75, but these are obviously different. Each is sealed pretty stoutly. I can't really tell whether they were minimally circulated, or maybe even uncirculated for the 1882 Liberty. I'd appreciate any thoughts y'all may have on them!

 

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Hello! The 1882 looks UNC.
Maybe MS60 or better (not great with gold grading). 1882 Coronet Head Gold $5 Half Eagle Type 2 - With Motto - Liberty Head - Early Matron Gold Coins Coin Value Prices, Photos & Info (usacoinbook.com)
The 1914D is circulated. Maybe VF20??
1914 D Indian Head Gold $2.50 Quarter Eagle Early Gold Coins Coin Value Prices, Photos & Info (usacoinbook.com)

 

Note that that's a 1914-D quarter eagle. Circulated, I believe, but any quarter eagle that isn't damaged outright is a good find, worth well above gold melt value.

 

Sweet!! Now that's in my wheelhouse. I never met a gold injun that I didn't like!....

The 1882 Half eagle (five dollar) appears to be in very nice shape. I would call that a $600.00-$700.00 coin.

The 1914-D quarter eagle is a little better date and carries a bit more than just gold value. The cool thing about these old indians is that the devices are incuse or recessed rather than raised above the surface of the coin. That makes these little beauties a bit more difficult to assess the grade. Still yet I would easily call this one a $500.00 piece and possibly better than that.

Very cool pieces! Please don't take them from their holders and whatever you do, please resist the urge to wipe or clean them in any way.

 

Thanks! Yes, buried under ~ 60 rolls of 1960s-70s Lincoln pennies !

 

I might be wrong, but I think that both of the gold pieces have been cleaned with an abrasive. The fields appear to have lines in them that run in multiple directions. The 1914-D quarter eagle appears to have gotten the worst of it.

Here is an 1886-S $5 gold coin in Choice Mint State that is from the same era as the 1882 $5 gold. These are really nice, Mint State surfaces.



Here is a lightly circulated 1914-D quarter eagle. Note the sort of "busy lines" that are on the surfaces of your coin.

The good news is I think both pieces are genuine. They are no worth too much over the price of gold, but that's still a good find.

 

Thanks. The Indian certainly appears circulated. The Coronet is sealed in heavy plastic- some of the scratch marks appear to go beyond the coin (ie maybe it's the plastic that's scratched?).

 

Nice finds. The 1914-D is a better date but still very affordable.