1818 Half Eagle

HBCC#:

3129

Breen#:

6471

BD#:

1

Judd#:

n/a

Pollock#:

n/a

John Reich left the engraver’s department in 1817, leaving die work in the hands of Robert Scot. Engraver Scot was born in 1745 and joined the Mint in 1793. By this time he had been at his post for 25 years and was 73 years of age. The previous two years saw no gold coinage produced. This was perhaps partly due to the January 1816 Mint fire, as Walter Breen has noted, and partly due to John Reich’s leaving his post in early 1817. Perhaps the most compelling reason was lack of gold deposits as discussed by Patterson, per HBCC-3128.

Provenance:

From the Bowers and Ruddy Galleries sale of the River Oaks Collection, November 1976, Lot 818.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Commentary:

"Obverse: Distinctive in that all 13 stars are from the so-called 'Reich signature notched point' punch used by him for the 13th star on obverse dies from 1807 thru 1815 (he left the Mint in 1817). First 1 and last 8 centered over denticles below. Denticles distinctly separated by an open space. Star 13 presents two points to a curl, to which it is quite close. Minute lump on throat just below jaw. Reverse: Final S centered over S, O centered over N. Top of 5 distinctively curved, concave at top. Crack from D thru bases of AMERICA. Another, now strong, from edge, past leaf, to tip of left-most claw, edge of shield, in front of eagle's throat, thru head, into field, to ribbon at S."