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***Auction Highlight*** 1813 O-109 R3 Capped Bust Half Dollar 50c Graded ms64+ By SEGS (fc)

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:6,218.75 - 12,437.50 USD
***Auction Highlight*** 1813 O-109 R3 Capped Bust Half Dollar 50c Graded ms64+ By SEGS (fc)
***Auction Highlight*** 1813 O-109 R3 Capped Bust Half Dollar 50c Graded ms64+ By SEGS. HIGHLIGHT OF THE ENTIRE AUCTION – Up for auction is a RARE Overton 109 1813 Capped Bust Half Dollar, Tied for Finest known in the variety and tied for 10th finest of the date. A spectacular survivor of these dies, made all the more interesting by its significant die clashes and advanced die state. Luster cycles rapidly around both sides, a contrast to the relaxed tones of pale orange, violet-blue, and gold that blend across both sides. The extreme luster serves to highlight the centers of each side, drawing the eye to the remarkable clash mark of the reverse shield that dominates the area between Liberty's ear and neckcurl. Multiple impressions of wing feathers are noted in the field before her chin, while several retrograde iterations of the final portion of PLURIBUS and the beginning of UNUM fill the space between the bust truncation and date. Radial flowlines push outward, carrying the luster as they do, drawing the stars on the left all the way to the rim and those on the right nearly so. The reverse, also flowlined and somewhat soft at its peripheries, has been lapped to minimize the obviousness of the clash marks, though vestiges survive above, left of, and below the eagle. The reverse remains uncracked, but the obverse fared less well, with a heavy arc crack from the tip of the bust through the left stars to the front of her cap, just beyond the lowest point of star 7. Another crack crosses the date diagonally and hits star 13. The eye appeal of this piece is very different from a specimen struck from fresh, perfect dies. it is beautifully toned, pristinely preserved, and a glorious accident of survival in its superb near gem grade. But for the one mark in the obverse field this would be the single finest at ms65. Unlike many of the others, this coin draws a sophisticated viewer in through a loupe, examining every crack and clash, inviting a reconstruction of each instance of die against die and steel against steel that left this coin looking as it does. The Overton-109 variety was actually struck after Overton-110. As both marriages show significant successive clashes, the press these dies were mounted on may have had issues with its feeder fingers, the levers that pushed blank planchets into the coining chamber and then pushed them out again after striking. Improperly operating feeder fingers could result in the dies coming together with no planchet between them, the situation that causes die clashing, as well as various sorts of striking errors. The reverse of this piece, despite heavy lapping, shows a suggestion of a second leaf in the two-leaf cluster left of the eagle's legs. Specimens that show a bit more lapping remove the second leaf entirely, thus transitioning to Overton-109a, a desirable "single leaf" die state. Capped Bust half specialists enjoy collecting and studying die marriages and die states, and their research on the rarity of each has become highly refined. In the 1880s, when stories of numismatic auctions in the Northeast trickled to small town newspapers like the above-cited Orange County Observer, collectors were still attempting to discern which dates were rare and what varieties existed. The dates mentioned -- 1813, 1819, and 1824 -- are considered no rarer than most other dates today. I have included several additional pictures of this fantastic coin as I wanted to try and get across the thick string luster. Sometimes it is easier to shw the luster in lower light with lust one light on instead of the two we usually use. I hope these extra pictures help illustrate the fantastic luster through this beauty. Also I noticed what appeared to be, BUT WAS NOT, rim damage when first looking at the obverse picture of the coin. I wanted to show everyone, that NO SUCH DAMAGE is present. The apparent minor “Notches” in the obverse rim, is as made, from the rim lettering Mainly the word HALF, and specifically the letters H LF are what caused the apparent notches. The rim is perfect and as made. I once again I hope my extra photos helped. I also have included a picture of the other ms64+ of this die variety and another ms64+ for your comparison. A Corey's Pick, Bid to Win, Don't let it get Away, you might not find its equal Coin. I give this coin my highest recommendation