***Auction Highlight*** 1861-p No Motto Gold Liberty Half Eagle $5 Graded ms65 By SEGS. No Motto Liberty half eagles were coined from 1839 to 1866, and they are rarely found in high grades despite the long run of dates. For the entire No Motto type, less than 15 examples survive at the MS65 and higher level. Clearly the 1861 is the most plentiful date in high grade, yet less than 15 MS65 and higher examples exist, and PCGS believes that number to be closer to 10. This lovely Gem possesses brilliant, light-yellow luster with satin surfaces and excellent design definition. It is an essentially fully struck specimen, with lightly striated fields that show a high degree of reflectivity, bordering on Full PL. Only a few minimal abrasions are seen on either side, and Liberty's portrait is free of all but one or two faint, inconsequential marks and an as made Struck Thru. Exceptional eye appeal exists on both sides. I have included 2 other ms65 examples for your comparison. I think ours is superior to the PCGS coin and I have included the NGC to illustrate the striations commonly found on the issue.