Auction Name: 2026 January 8 US Coins Signature Auction - FUN Special Sessions: Ellsworth & Jacobson

Lot Number: 1016

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/1389*1016

1799 $5 Small Reverse Stars, BD-7, High R.6, AU58 NGC. HBJ-216. A lovely near-Mint example, this piece has satiny orange-gold luster and trivial marks on each side.
Variety Equivalents: Adams-7, Breen 4-G, Miller-38, Bass-3066.
Obverse Die: This is the first use of the obverse die that reappeared for BD-8 and BD-9.
Reverse Die: This is the only use of the reverse die.
Bass-Dannreuther Die State a/c: The obverse die is reportedly perfect, and the reverse die is shattered. Die cracks extend to the center from the rim through the N and the D in UNITED, the A in STATES, the O in OF, and the M in AMERICA. Other cracks branch off those cracks to form a spectacular die state presentation. This is one of the latest stages of Dannreuther's state a/c.
NGC Census Data (10/25): NGC has graded 23 1799 half eagles in AU58 and 37 numerically finer submissions.
Significant Examples: Our research itemizes four Mint State examples and seven others that grade AU50 to 58, including the present example that is tied for the fifth best in our roster. Possibly as many as half a dozen other VF or XF examples are known.
Breen (1966): An example of this die pair in the 51st New Netherlands sale (June 1958) was the only example of this variety that Breen reported, noting that another example plated in Adams was unlocated.
Bass-Dannreuther (2006): "Some researchers have labeled this variety as R-7, although today there are likely a few more known. An estimate of 15 extant might be a little on the low side."
Heritage Commentary: When we cataloged the Bass Core Collection coin that we sold three years ago, we described that coin as die state a/c, although the present piece, cataloged as the same die state, is undoubtedly later with extensive reverse die cracks. The Bass duplicate coin, sold in 1999, is even later than the present example from the Jacobson Collection. Further study of die states is clearly necessary.
Doug Winter Commentary: A solid High R-6 variety and likely within the Condition Census for the variety.
Provenance: Recorded below.

Roster of significant examples of 1799 BD-7 half eagles
1. MS62 PCGS. Mike Follett Rare Coins; Goliad Corporation (12/13/1985); Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, Part II (Bowers and Merena, 10/1999), lot 733; Heritage (4/2001), lot 7735, unsold; Stack's Bowers (8/2013), lot 4474, $38,187; Heritage (4/2018), lot 4337, $33,600.
2. MS61 NGC. Harry W. Bass, Jr. (Bowers and Merena, 11/2000), lot 298; Stack's Bowers (11/2011), lot 9444, $30,475.
3. MS61 NGC. Stack's Bowers (3/2012), lot 4297, unsold.
4. Unc Details Scratch PCGS. S.S. Forest, Jr. Collection (Stack's, 9/1972), lot 183; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; Harry Bass Core Collection/Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 9/2022), lot 11034.
5. AU58 NGC. Pennsylvania Cabinet (Bowers and Merena, 1/1999), lot 1399; Heritage (1/2017), lot 5849, $14,100.
6. AU58 NGC. Stack's Bowers (10/2018), lot 2125, $13,200.
7. AU58 NGC. Superior Galleries (4/2004), lot 1648, $13,225; Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr. The present specimen.
8. AU55 NGC. Stack's Bowers (11/2023), lot 3152, $14,400.
9. AU53 NGC. American Numismatic Rarities (3/2006), lot 1558, $10,638; Heritage (8/2012), lot 5344, $22,325.
10. AU50 Uncertified. Bowers and Merena (6/1996), lot 1314.
11. AU50 Uncertified. Col. E.H.R. Green; C.T. Weihman; Josiah K. Lilly, Jr.; Smithsonian Institution. Sylloge 62.
From The Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr. Collection of Early Half Eagles.

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