1812 Half Eagle

HBCC#:

3123

Breen#:

6465

BD#:

2

Judd#:

n/a

Pollock#:

n/a

Half eagles dated 1812 are moderately scarce with two varieties represented among the recorded mintage of 58,087 coins. As with the previous year, both varieties are from a single obverse die with reverse dies differing in the spacing of the denomination. This example has a closely spaced denomination while the other has a more widely spaced denomination. The close denomination variety is quite scarce, with this choice Mint-State example considered among the finest known.

Provenance:

From Lester Merkin's sale of March 1969, Lot 191.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Commentary:

"Obverse: Large numerals. Minute die center punch lump. Heavily lapped, removing most of clash evidence in field. Clash evidence still visible within LIBERTY, date, elsewhere. Reverse: Close 5 D, small 5. Clash damage evident within shield, lower right area. Faint recutting of 5 to left of knob. Raised line between 5 and lower serif of D."