1845

The 1845 follows directly on the heels of one of the series' headline rarities, and the surprise for collectors who look past the catalog tile is how much of the 1844 story carries forward. Mintage rose to 26,153 pieces, about four times the prior year, yet the 1845 is repeatedly described in the standard references as one of the genuinely underrated dates in the No Motto Liberty Head eagle series, very rare in any condition above EF and almost never offered in true Mint State. PCGS estimates roughly 100 to 200 pieces survive across all grades, a small fraction of mintage that reflects the heavy circulation, melting, and export losses suffered by mid-1840s Philadelphia eagles. The catalog tile reads Regular, but the conditional-rarity picture is far closer to a sleeper Key than the classification suggests.

Authentication starts with the standards: 16.718 grams, 27 mm diameter, 90 percent gold and 10 percent copper, reeded edge with coin alignment. Cast counterfeits show edge seams, slightly granular fields, and softened detail in Liberty's hair curls and the eagle's neck feathers; struck fakes typically fail on weight or specific gravity (genuine pieces test near 17.2). Strike on Philadelphia 1845 eagles is generally adequate but rarely sharp, with the lightly frosted devices and slightly reflective fields typical of the era. Because so few high-grade pieces exist, any AU or better example should be examined for old cleaning, retoning, and the rim filing that often accompanied long-circulating gold. The date is also a target for added mintmarks, be alert for fantasy "1845-C" or "1845-D" pieces, neither of which exists from the official mint records.

For the date collector, the 1845 is the budget-conscious follow-on to the 1844, still tough, still undervalued relative to its branch-mint cousin the 1845-O, and still a coin that rewards patience. EF examples surface periodically in major auctions and represent the practical sweet spot; AU pieces command a clear premium and Mint State coins are condition rarities in the strictest sense. Series-wide context, including the Type 1 No Motto design history and Christian Gobrecht's Coronet portrait, lives in the Liberty Head Eagle series history.