1823 Half Eagle

HBCC#:

3145

Breen#:

6481

BD#:

1

Judd#:

n/a

Pollock#:

n/a

The mintage total for 1823 half eagles was recorded in Mint documents as just 14,485 coins. This is the lowest annual total of any issue from 1821 to 1834; however, this date half eagle is the single most common issue of the same period. This is the only die variety known for 1823 half eagles. It is interesting to note that, with very few exceptions, survivors of this coinage are of relatively high quality with several Mint-State examples known.

Provenance:

From the Bowers and Merena Galleries sale of the Norweb Collection, October 1987, Lot 774. Earlier from Stack's sale of the Farish-Baldenhofer Collection, November 1955.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Commentary:

"Obverse: Curve-based 2. Belted 8. Modified cap. Star 13 point just clear of hair, point pointing to space between two denticles. Stars above cap well apart from both cap and denticles. Reverse: That of 1820E. Large letters. 'Punched' T (letter T has a triangular punch in bottom of upright). S over E and space right. T over R and space right. S over S and space left. Base of E in line with that of adjacent T. Perfect M. Close 5D, top of 5 even with that of D. Large period. Tip of bottom arrowhead immediately below right base serif of I (distinctive). Upper section of shield shows multiple slightly curved vertical lines within spaces between horizontal lines."