1811 $5 BD-2, Small 5 MS(PCGS#507599)

August 2018 ANA U.S. Coins Auction Philadelphia, PA

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

1269

等级

MS62+

价格

98,517

详细说明

Lustrous 1811 Small 5 Half Eagle 1811 Capped Bust Left Half Eagle. BD-2. Rarity-3. Small 5. MS-62+ (PCGS). This charming coin's overall deep sunflower gold color is punctuated with just the barest hints of rose highlights along the dentils. The frosty lustrous surfaces help to accentuate the crisply defined well centered strike. Thanks in part to its more modest face value, the half eagle was more practical for use in day to day commerce. Demand for the denomination from bullion depositors was such that for an 11 year period from 1809 through 1820, only half eagles were produced. However, by the 1820s the intrinsic value of the coins exceeded their stated value, causing the vast majority of the Mint's modest output of half eagles to be exported and eventually end up in the crucibles of European speculators and bullion dealers. Consequently all pre-1834 gold coins are scarce, if not outright rare by definition. The 99,581 half eagles produced in 1811 are no exception. Only two die marriages were required to strike the entire production run, both of which share the same obverse die. The principal difference between these two die pairs is found on the reverse when comparing the size of the 5 in 5D. On the BD-2 die marriage, the digit 5 in the denomination 5 D is small, located under the lowermost arrow feather, and tilted sharply to the right. The Small 5 variety is the somewhat more available of the two pairings, though with an estimated 225 to 300 surviving pieces in all grades, this is still a far from common coin. The choice surfaces and overall excellent state of preservation makes this an especially desirable specimen for an advanced type collection of early gold. Provenance: From The Des Moines Collection. Earlier from our March 2017 Rarities Night sale, lot 3109. PCGS# 8109. NGC ID: BFXR. Click here for certification details from PCGS.