1807 Half Eagle

HBCC#:

3105

Breen#:

6450

BD#:

3

Judd#:

n/a

Pollock#:

n/a

Walter Breen considered this a rare variety, which he rated Rarity-6. This is a different small date obverse than that displayed at HBCC-3103 and 3104. The stars on the left side of the obverse are farther from the hair curls and cap than on any other 1807 Draped Bust obverse die. This Bass Collection coin is certainly among the finest survivors of this die marriage. According to J.R. Snowden in his Mint Manual of 1860, the 1807 Capped Bust coinage all came from the September 30 and December 31 deliveries, with all previous deliveries of February through June being of the Draped Bust design.

Provenance:

From Stack's sale of the G DiBello Collection, May 1970, Lot 815.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Commentary:

"Obverse: Bust right. Small date, evenly spaced. Small stars. Right foot of R rests on a raised die gouge. Lowest hair strand is shorter than on obverse 1, stopping at top of 1 of date. Its thin pointed end just touches top of 1. This strand is shortened by lapping on later states so that it becomes free of top of 1. Die edge file marks at denticles above star 2. Faint crack above crown of cap from a denticle. Rust in cap above band. Clashed. Reverse: Large stars. Rust at stars 9, 10, 13. Reclashed. Crack thru tops of UNITED. Crack at left of right foot from arrow shafts thru right wing, ribbon, to star 12. Reclashed."