1795 $5 Small Eagle AU53 NGC....

Description

Popular AU53 1795 Small Eagle Five, BD-3

1795 $5 Small Eagle AU53 NGC. Breen-6412, BD-3, High R.3. Obverse State c, Reverse State b, a late state notable for the crack from the rim to the E in UNITED (noted in Bass-Dannreuther as a possible "graver's spike") and extensive die lapping on the obverse. The most prominent obverse diagnostic is noted at the right, with the Y of LIBERTY and the two closest stars all conjoined; reverse with wreath opening between STATES and OF.
The BD-3 variant of the 1795 Small Eagle half eagle is a celebrated type coin that has achieved almost universal recognition among collectors of 18th century coinage. To quote Bass and Dannreuther in their Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties:

"Although [the BD-3] is the common variety of 1795 Small eagle coinage, one must realize common [italics theirs] is a very relative term. Even if there are 200 extant for this pairing, it is still a rare coin. There are several tens of thousands 1909-S VDB Lincoln cents in existence and many numismatists call that coin rare. There is no doubt that there are fewer than 1,000 Small Eagle 1795 half eagles still available to today's collectors--combining all the 12 varieties!"

Though the early coin connoisseur may call the BD-3 scarce rather than rare, the point still stands. This AU53 coin is a pleasing representative, yellow-orange with soft glimmers of remaining luster in the faintly abraded fields. A small scuff is noted just past the stars on the left obverse, and modest wear crosses the high points of each side; still, a fundamentally pleasing example.
From The Martin L. Diffenbaucher, Jr. Collection.(Registry values: P5)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25ND, PCGS# 8066, GSID# 8791)

Metal: 91.67% Gold, 8.33% Copper
Weight: 8.75 grams
AGW: 0.25789oz
Mintage: 8,707

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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