Historic and Beautiful Type-1 'No Motto' Gold
Post by: Walt Durham
in Pre-1933 Gold
| YEAR | 1847 |
| MINT | O - New Orleans |
| FINISH | MS |
| WEIGHT | .48 AGW |
| PURITY | .900 |
| GRADE | AU 53 |
| GRADING SERVICE | NGC |
| SPECIAL FEATURES | Granite Lady Hoard |
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This is a Type 1 No Motto, meaning it does not have the motto 'In God We Trust', issued from New Orleans. In 1847, the mintage figure for New Orleans Eagles rose to a staggering 571,500. However, if you look at the current population reports from NGC and PCGS, it is estimated that fewer than 2,600 coins from the original mintage survived in all grades. This date is most often seen in XF condition and becomes increasingly more challenging to find in higher grades. In Uncirculated condition, this date, like many other New Orleans issues, is quite rare. 
This particular example is pedigreed 'GRANITE LADY HOARD'. The 'Old Granite Lady' was the affectionate nickname given to the San Francisco Mint. The building itself was completed in 1874 and contained granite-lined underground vaults which housed millions of dollars worth of vintage U.S. gold and silver coins. On April 18, 1906, a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the northwest coast of the Golden State, and for three days after, the city experienced devastating fires that are estimated to have left nearly 300,000 people homeless. The fires ravaged nearly every building in the city except one: the United States Mint in San Francisco. This historical structure withstood the terrifying earthquake and the ensuing hell of fire, and within its walls survived millions of dollars worth of U.S. Gold and Silver coins. Among the surviving coins was a small cache of New Orleans Minted Gold. This particular 1847-O No Motto Eagle is certified by NGC as one of the surviving examples.
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