1803/2 Half Eagle

HBCC#:

3079

Breen#:

6441

BD#:

2

Judd#:

n/a

Pollock#:

n/a

1803 half eagles are quite similar to those of 1802 in that all known varieties are overdates. In this case, 1803/2, there are two different overdated obverse dies. Until very recently, the second obverse remained unrecognized as a second die, and was simply considered a late die state of the first die. Breen’s obverse 1, as displayed here, has the right base of T broken. The new die has a perfect T in LIBERTY. The variety described as Breen 1-A does not exist. This example is Breen’s variety 1-B, which he considered rare.

Provenance:

Purchased from Goliad Corporation, October 30, 1972. Previously from Barry Stuppler.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Commentary:

"Obverse: 3 over 2, 2 projecting behind 3 at two points, but not to front of 3 at its base knob, as it does in the second obverse. Residual base of 2 within bottom loop of 3. 3 clear of bust. T lacks its bottom right serif, and Y its left. Star 9 has smaller point facing Y. Clashed. Lapped. Reverse: T's lack right base serifs. No cracks."