1799 Eagle

HBCC#:

3183

Breen#:

6838

BD#:

2

Judd#:

n/a

Pollock#:

n/a

This coin represents a very rare die marriage, with approximately 15 examples known. The Bass Collection coin is among the finest. The obverse die is normally identified by a heavy die crack from the border past the left side of L. This example, however, is from a perfect obverse die. The reverse die is identified by a die chip between the centers of U and N, and is common to four different die marriages. A minor design modification occurred in 1799. Reverse dies of 1797 and 1798 had seven vertical stripes in the shield while those from 1799 had just six vertical stripes.

Provenance:

Purchased from Malcolm Varner, February 29, 1972.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Commentary:

"Obverse: Small stars, wide date, numerals spaced 179 9. Star 8 presents two points quite close to cap, equidistant. Microscopic pointed lump atop T, aligned with left side of T's upright (distinctive). Star 9 well apart from Y. Face and neck speckled with shallow rust lumps. No crack! Reverse: Berry centered under A. Leaf point touches I at center of base. A(M) clear of left wing feathers (distinctive). Rust lump between UN, top opening of N. Rust-like crack within C, skips to left side of A, thru A, talon, stem end, tail feathers. Another, faint, edge between O F, thru O, second cloud from right."