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

Lot Number: 1047

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/1389*1047

1811 $5 Tall 5, BD-1, High R.3, AU58 PCGS. HBJ-247. This sharply detailed Capped Bust half eagle exhibits brilliant light yellow gold luster with slight high-point wear and minimal handling marks.
Variety Equivalents: Adams-1, Breen 1-A, Miller-115, Bass-3121.
Obverse Die: The single 1811-dated obverse die is used for both BD-1 and BD-2.
Reverse Die: The reverse die was initially used for 1810 BD-1 and reappears here.
Bass-Dannreuther Die State c/e: Both dies show multiple sets of heavy clash marks. The reverse die was apparently lapped to removed earlier clash marks, then clashed again.
PCGS Population Data (10/25): PCGS has examined and graded 21 1811 Tall 5 half eagles in AU58, one in AU58+, and 40 Mint State submissions.
Breen (1966): Breen properly described two varieties as his 1-A with the Tall 5 in the denomination as offered here, and 1-B from the same obverse and a different reverse die with a Small 5 in the denomination.
Bass-Dannreuther (2006): "Both varieties [of 1811] share this obverse, which may have produced as many coins as the Large Date obverse of 1810. Both these hardy obverse dies neared, or possibly exceeded, 100,000 strikings each, although for 1811 the die was used in more equal numbers for the two varieties."
Heritage Commentary: Dannreuther observes that the 1811 BD-1 Tall 5 variety offered here has an estimated population of 175 to 250 coins, compared to the 1811 BD-2 Small 5 variety with its estimated population of 225 to 300 coins. As shown in our Permanent Auction Archives, Heritage has offered 122 examples (40%) of the BD-1 Tall 5 half eagle and 176 examples (60%) of the BD-2 Small 5 variant. Neither variety is rare in the context of early half eagles from 1795 to 1834.
Doug Winter Commentary: A stop on the road to Fat Head City but one which serves gourmet pizza with craft beers...
Provenance: Stack's Bowers (8/2014), lot 11089.
From The Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr. Collection of Early Half Eagles.

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