PO Box 619999
Dallas, TX 75261-6199
Street Address:
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75261-4127
(Northwest corner of W. Airport Freeway [HWY-183] & Valley View Lane)
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800-USCOINS (872-6467)(214) 528-3500
Fax: (214) 409-1425
Auction Name: 2025 October 2 - 5 GACC US Coins Signature® Auction
Lot Number: 3116
Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/1386*3116
1796/5 $5 BD-1, High R.4, AU55 NGC. Bass-Dannreuther Die State a/b. The obverse die shows evidence of the late state crack that John Dannreuther describes from the border below the 9 to the bottom of the 6. The reverse shows die lapping among leaves in the wreath. Mint delivery records show a production of 8,707 half eagles between July 31 and September 16, 1795, another 6,196 coins between June 28 and December 22, 1796, and 3,609 coins delivered between January 14 and August 28, 1797.
However, those delivery records fail to tell us how many coins were struck with each date, nor what design was produced, although a reasonable assumption is that the 18,512 half eagles minted during those 24 months were all the Small Eagle coins. We are certain that the 8,707 coins delivered in 1795 were dated 1795. Beginning with the 1796 coinage, estimates are the best we can hope for, and several early gold enthusiasts have differing opinions.
We have previously offered 1796 half eagles 49 times in our auctions since 1993, and that total represents a smaller number of different examples. Two appearances graded MS62 are a single coin, offered in an NGC holder in 2011 and a PCGS holder in 2018. Three offerings graded MS61 are for different coins. Nine AU58 appearances represent six different coins, and four AU55 offerings were two different coins. Just 10 finer coins have appeared in Heritage auction events over more than 30 years. Hints of orange toning appear on the green-gold surfaces of this lovely Choice AU half eagle that exhibits inconsequential handling marks that are consistent with the grade. Census: 3 in 55, 23 finer (8/25).
From The Hawkeye Collection.
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