LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 (ANA) Signature Coin Auction #444  / 

1901

1808 $5 MS64 PCGS

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:40,000.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1808 $5 MS64 PCGS
<B>1808 $5 MS64 PCGS.</B></I> Close 5D, Breen-6456, BD-3, R.4. This variety has confused many notable numismatists over the past century. Part of the reason for this is its similarity to BD-2, which shares the same reverse die. One way to tell the two varieties apart is to examine the exact center of the obverse. BD-3 shows a tiny dot, probably from a compass point when the die was first laid out. BD-2 instead has a small incused circle in the same location. BD-3 and BD-4 use the same obverse die, further complicating matters. Clapp and Newcomer failed to collect or designate BD-3, but Edgar H. Adams noted it as his number 3. Breen (1966) listed two 1808 die pairs, 3-A and 4-A, that each turned out to be different die states (unclashed and clashed) of BD-3. Miller (1997) continued Breen's error, as Bass' research was yet unpublished. The present piece is the unclashed die state, which Dannreuther catalogs as Obverse State a and Reverse State d.<BR>This boldly struck near-Gem has original green-gold toning, with hints of peach across the open fields. The surfaces are impressively smooth, and in fact the only feature that can be used for pedigree purposes is a tiny area of dark toning near the left foot of the I in UNITED. Unquestionably among the finest known 1808 BD-3 half eagles.<BR>As of (6/07), PCGS reports 10 pieces certified as MS64, with one finer. However, these figures combine BD-3 and BD-4 examples, and there may be resubmissions as well. The sole MS65 example is a BD-4, although incorrectly described as a "closely spaced denomination" in its appearance as lot 392 in Bowers and Merena's 8/99 Rarities Sale. Our research uncovers eight auction appearances of PCGS MS64 pieces in the past decade, but those represent only three different coins.<BR><I>Ex: Bartle Collection (Stack's, 10/84), lot 1112; Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, Part III (Bowers and Merena, 10/99), lot 789; California Sale (Ira & Larry Goldberg, 10/00), lot 888; Wayne Rich Collection (Bowers and Merena, 3/02), lot 222; A Gentleman's Collection of Early Gold Coins (American Numismatic Rarities, 6/05), lot 1011.</B></I><BR><I>From The Julian Collection.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Coin Engraver:</B> John Reich<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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