1859 proof set on sale in London

London auctioneers Morton and Eden will offer an 1859 United States proof set on behalf of the Royal Mint Museum at auction Wednesday, March 6, at 5 p.m. in London.

Included are the finest known 1859 eagle and 1859 half eagle.

In 1859 Professor John Alexander of Baltimore presented London’s Royal Mint with a complete double proof set of U.S. coins from the eagle to the cent. Since then they have remained on public display in the Royal Mint Museum.

The museum’s trustees have decided to deaccession the coins in one of the two sets (with the single exception of the $3, where only one specimen from the original pair has survived).

Among the highlights is a 1859 proof eagle believed to be one of only about 10 1859 proof eagles known to have survived. This coin is considered probably the finest known, grading Proof-65 Cameo.

The set is expected to bring a total of $250,000-$350,000.

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