Rare
1807 Capped Bust $5 Bust Left PCGS MS64 - $41,500. Click on Coin Image to
enlarge
What
an opportunity to own one of the nicest early Capped
Bust Half Eagles in near gem. Only 6 graded higher at
PCGS. A popular and important type coin, the present
specimen is a truly premium quality coin. Both sides
are very lustrous with relatively clean surfaces for
the grade. Orange-gold coloration with full and flashy
luster highlights the pristine surfaces of this coin.
The strike is full, with no weakness noted on either
side.
No individual
abrasions are worth to be mentioned on either side,
which only feature some scattered marks from careless
handling, presumably within the first few decades after
this coin was struck. A premium quality coin destined
for an advanced type set or high quality set of early
American gold coinage.
This
coin also looks like it belongs in an investment portfolio
that focuses on quality...
Please contact
me by email
or telephone 1-941-291-2156
to reserve this great coin.
This type was designed
by John Reich, the new assistant engraver at the Mint,
next to the elderly Robert Scot, who had designed our
nation’s first gold coins, including the “work-horse”
five dollar gold piece, or half eagle. Short lived,
as the type was discontinued after 1812. Thus, the present
specimen represents an uncirculated first year of issue
coin of this type which his always in demand.
By 1807, minting of
the larger eagles had been discontinued since 1804,
and was not resumed until several decades later. As
such, the half eagle was the denomination of choice
for large transactions, in particular between businesses
and banks, as it represented a, for the time, huge amount
in cash. Because of this, heavy circulation and the
extremely low number of people who at the time could
afford to put half eagles away for collections, this
is a scarce issue in the mint state grades.
Two varieties
are known for this issue, with the present specimen
being a representative of the more available variety,
BD-8. This was the second use of the obverse die, paired
with a new reverse die after the old broke after only
a couple of thousand coins had been struck. The reverse
on this particular variety best is identified by the
position of the leaf closest to U in UNITED. On this
variety, it is close, whereas on BD-7 it will be farther
away, an obvious difference which can easily be seen.
