1834 w/Motto Half Eagle

HBCC#:

3166

Breen#:

6500

BD#:

2

Judd#:

n/a

Pollock#:

n/a

This is an example of the very rare type with a crosslet 4. Note that the hair curl directly above the digit 4 is broken, appearing as curved hair strands. Compare this to the other 1834 Crosslet 4 variety at HBCC-3168, which has a complete hair curl above the digit. On the reverse, the lowest arrow point is entirely left of the final A. This is a very rare variety with an estimated population of just 15 or 16 examples.

Provenance:

Purchased from Lester Merkin, May 17, 1974.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Commentary:

"Obverse: Crosslet 4, leaning left. Tall, blunt tipped 1. Crossbar of 8 level. 4 to left of being centered under pointed curl strand above. Die crack thru star 9, continuing thru star 13. Reverse: 5 D . well toward leaves relative to A. Period narrow. Tip of middle arrowhead below left serif of I. Tip of lowest arrowhead points between C A. E well left of being centered over B - over B and right tip of I. Rear claw complete, attached beneath top leaf pair. Circular die crack thru MERICA and 5 D. Extensive rust roughness between lower shield stripes. Lapping of this roughness appears to indicate that 1(b)/B(b) was possibly minted after 2(b)/B(a)."