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1796 $2.50 Capped Bust. Stars

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:45,000.00 USD Estimated At:90,000.00 - 100,000.00 USD
1796 $2.50 Capped Bust. Stars
<Our item number 94674><B>1796 &#36;2.50 Capped Bust. Stars. PCGS graded AU-55.</B> Light gold toning including a toned spot at the cheek. Semi reflective surfaces. Very rare date. Only 432 coins struck. A highly lustrous example of this key issue with a nuance of pale orange toning on both sides, all of which is underpinned by full, only barely circulated freshness. Struck with fleeting weakness that imported a some rounded detail in the cap and hair, the eagle&#39;s chest feathers and shield lines.<BR><BR>This coin has two distinctions: It is the first ever to show the heraldic eagle, which would become standard on all silver and gold denominations 1798-1807; it is the earliest made showing 16 reverse stars honoring Tennessee&#39;s admission. During this whole decade, quarter eagles were coined only in isolated driblets of a few hundred or at most a few thousand pieces. In several of these years, each date represented a new design modification -- creating instant rarities and type coins. The problem is les s why the coins are rare, why so few were made to begin with, but why any were struck at all. To judge from available Archives records, they were ordered by a few local banks &#40;principally the Bank of Pennsylvania and the Bank of the United States&#41;. Between 1803 and 1833, the Mint&#39;s major output consisted of cents, half dollars, and half eagles; all other denominations had a kind of poor sister status -- seldom called for, few made, little welcome. Hence their rarity today in all grades. <B>Pop 4; 6 in AU58; 1 in 61; 1 in 62; 1 in 63.</B> <B>&#40;PCGS # 7647&#41;</B>. <BR>Estimated Value &#36;90,000-100,000. <BR><BR>Our item number 94674<BR><IMAGES><P ALIGN="CENTER"><IMG SRC="http://www.goldbergcoins.net/liveauction/36jpegs/094674.jpg"> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.goldbergcoins.net/liveauction/36jpegs/094674N2.jpg"> </P></IMAGES>