1878 Liberty Gold Half Eagle ($5)

Rich, satiny yellow-gold with warm orange highlights, this MS62 Fairmont piece offers lively cartwheel luster and wonderfully original skin. The strike is confident on both sides, and the overall look is far better than the number implies, which explains the well-deserved green CAC. Some scattered contact in the fields sets the ceiling, but the eye appeal is undeniably strong for the grade. Housed in a PCGS gold shield holder with the Fairmont Collection pedigree on the label.