1796 $2 1/2 Stars MS62 NGC....

Description

Rare, Overlooked First-Year Quarter Eagle
1796 With Stars, BD-3, MS62, Ex: Ed Price

1796 $2 1/2 Stars MS62 NGC. Ex: Ed Price Collection. BD-3, R.5. The obverse die has 16 stars arranged point to point. This unusual arrangement is similar to the orientation on 1794 silver dollars but on no other early U.S. coins. The serif of the 1 is close to the hair curl, the bottom of the 7 almost touches the right side of a dentil, and the top of the 6 overlaps the drapery. In LIBERTY, IBE are more closely spaced than other letters, the L is slightly low, and the Y is high and leans right. Eight stars are to the left and eight to the right. Stars 11-14 are more widely spaced than others. A long triangular dentil is positioned over the center of the T.
The reverse die shows several prominent die scratches that extend through the tops of TATE with one through the middle of that A. The legend is well-spaced with most letters distant from the border. The lower right curve of the D joins the fourth feather. AT are high, the final S touches a cloud, and the F touches a cloud. The final A is close to the claw and stem, touching neither. The branch has four berries, and the top berry merges with the upper edge of the leaf below R. The lowest of eight arrows is below the space between U and N, and the longest arrow is below the right foot of the left base of N. Sixteen stars appear to have been placed at random. A star at the right has two points merged with the top of the wing. A double dentil is found below the left side of the eagle's tail. A faint die crack connects all stars on the left with LIBE. Short cracks or die lines join stars 3, 5, and 7 to the border. The reverse has a short die crack from the right arm of the first T in STATES to the right base of that letter. Parallel lines through TATE are constant in all die states.
While the 1796 No Stars is the higher-visibility coin with its one-year type design, the With Stars variant is actually considerably rarer. Less than half as many With Stars were struck as No Stars (432 vs. 963 pieces), and since the With Stars has the same design type as the successive years through 1807, it is an overlooked issue among early quarter eagles. The estimates of the number of survivors range from as few as 20 to 25 coins (Akers) to a high of 30 (Breen). Virtually all are in the VF-XF grade range. Most show central striking weakness, and adjustment marks are prevalent.
Today, most numismatists accept the January 14, 1797 delivery of 432 coins as the striking date for this variety. The current estimated surviving population of each of the first three quarter eagle varieties is almost exactly 10% of the first three deliveries. Either five or six examples of BD-1 are known, nearly 10% of the 66 coins delivered on September 21, 1796. Approximately 90 examples of BD-2 are known, almost exactly 10% of the 897 coins delivered on December 8, 1796. Finally, about 40 examples of this BD-3 die variety are known, about 10% of the 432 coins delivered on January 14, 1797.
This piece shows soft detailing in the center of each side and there are a few light adjustment marks in the center of the reverse. Struck from a slightly rough planchet; there are tiny planchet flecks out of each side, and pronounced die file marks occur above and through the tops of S(TATE)S. Rich reddish-orange patina covers each side of this attractive coin with bright, semiprooflike fields apparent (especially so on the reverse).
One of just half a dozen or so known Mint State specimens, this MS62 piece was plated in the 1982 Eliasberg catalog, the 1999 Bowers and Merena catalog, and our 2005 FUN catalog.
Ex:Spedding Sale (S.H. & H. Chapman, 12/1894); J.H. Clapp; Clapp Estate (1942); Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. (Bowers and Ruddy, 10/1982), lot 80; Long Beach Connoisseur Collection (Bowers and Merena, 8/1999), lot 337; 2005 FUN Sale (Heritage, 1/2005), lot 8761; Ed Price Collection (Heritage, 7-8/2008), lot 1452.(Registry values: P10)

Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 7647, GSID# 8209)

Metal: 91.67% Gold, 8.33% Copper
Weight: 4.37 grams
AGW: 0.14oz
Mintage: 432

Note for clients in the European Union: This lot is considered by the European Union to be “investment gold”. We believe that it meets the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC and thus should be exempt from import VAT regardless of the selling price. Any questions or concerns about VAT should be addressed to your accountant or local tax authority.

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