LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 Jan. FUN Signature Coin Auction #454  / 

1328

1795 50C 2 Leaves XF40 NGC

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1795 50C 2 Leaves XF40 NGC
<B>1795 50C 2 Leaves XF40 NGC.</B></I> O-108a, R.4. The obverse die exhibits curious die defects between the curl and star 1. The dentils beneath star 1 are joined by another die defect. (These die defects are absent on O-109, which uses the same obverse die.) A bold die crack passes through star 15 to the bust tip, and a slender die crack connects the base of the date digits. This latter die crack is unlisted in the Overton reference. Also omitted from the standard reference are the die cracks between stars 3 and 5, and from the rim through star 13 to star 12. The O-108 marriage appears later in the emission sequence than O-109.<BR>Die cracks connect the tops of NITE and STAT. Neither of these cracks is mentioned in the Overton reference. The tops of AMER are joined by a third crack, presumably a later die state of the AME crack noted by Overton under O-108a. Several dentils are merged by a reverse rim break between 5 and 6 o'clock, a carry-over from the O-108 die state.<BR>The present O-108a example displays rich powder-blue toning. Luster brightens the stars, hair, wreath, and legends. Liberty has pleasing hair definition, and the eagle's wings retain much of their initial plumage. Careful inspection fails to locate any relevant marks, although for pedigree purposes we note a series of tiny ticks above the Y in LIBERTY.<BR> The reverse is one of five special dies with three leaves overlapping the left wing tip adjacent to the T in UNITED. All other reverse dies have just two overlapping leaves. Among the five dies with three overlapping leaves is the single die that also has three leaves below the left wing. Breen called these the "Heavy Wreath" reverse dies, and he also noted the presence of a tiny "field dot" below the ribbon knot. According to Breen, this field dot was the "signature" of John Smith Gardner, who is attributed as the engraver of these dies.<BR>Our own examination of coins in the Westmoreland County Collection fails to reveal any such signature field dot on any of these coins. However, an example of O-115 in this collection, with just two overlapping leaves, clearly has just such a die dot in the specified location.<BR>Haseltine-10; Beistle 2a-Fa; Overton-20; Hilt 21-V; PCGS# 6052; Encyclopedia-4561.<BR><I>Ex: Delaware Valley (5/1999).<BR>From The Westmoreland County Collection of Early Bust Halves, 1794-1807.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Coin Engraver:</B> Robert Scot<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coins & Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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