LOT #1029 |
Current Bid: $3,000
1805 $5 BD-4, High R.7, MS63+ PCGS....
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Description
1805 BD-4 Half Eagle, MS63+
The Finest of Five Known
1805 $5 BD-4, High R.7, MS63+ PCGS. HBJ-229. Ex:
Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection. Splashes of copper-red color
complement yellow-gold surfaces overall. Both sides are
impressively lustrous and strongly defined. Only Liberty's middle
curls and the inner portion of the eagle's left wing are
incomplete. Tremendous eye appeal and outstanding preservation
certainly enhance the desirability of this fabulous rarity.Variety Equivalents: Adams unlisted, Breen uncertain, Miller unlisted, Bass-3090.
Obverse Die: This is the only appearance of the obverse die.
Reverse Die: The reverse die was used for four of the five 1805 die pairs, BD-2, BD-3, BD-4, and BD-5, remaining in use for 1806 BD-1.
Bass-Dannreuther Die State c/e: A die crack runs through the base of the date and another vertical crack travels from right of the 5 up past Liberty's ear.
PCGS Population Data (10/25): PCGS has certified 40 1805 half eagles graded MS63, two in MS63+, and 21 finer submissions. Included in that population total is this example attributed as BD-4, one of just two assigned that variety designation.
Significant Examples: The Jacobson Collection coin is the finest known to us from a total population of five examples, including three in the present sale.
Breen (1966): In his 1966 monograph, Walter Breen described five varieties that he cataloged as 1-A, 2-B, 3-B, 3-C, and 3-D. He added variety 4-E in his New Varieties update. Correlating the Breen varieties to those known today is challenging. He referred to coins that appeared in the 1914 ANS catalog, the 1946 F.C.C. Boyd sale, the 1956 Thomas Melish sale, and the 1963 Emerson Gaylord sale, among others. The ANS coins were not plated, nor were the Melish coins, although it is likely that Breen viewed the Melish coins in person.
Bass-Dannreuther (2006): Discussing this example and two others from the Bass Collection, John Dannreuther observed: "That such a rare variety could have multiple die states seems odd, but all three coins in the Bass collection are from different obverse die states! The only die state missing is the perfect state of the obverse, as the reverse die remained in the same state of State 3 for this combination."
Heritage Commentary: Today we know of five distinct 1805 half eagle varieties that were combinations of four obverse dies and two reverse dies. The reverse dies are easily identified: Reverse A, found only in 1805 BD-1, has the outer arrow below the center of the N in UNITED. Reverse B has that arrow under the right upright of the N. Attribution of the other four varieties considers differences of the obverse star placement:
BD-2 -- Stars on the right join the Y and the drapery.
BD-3 -- Stars on the right are close to the Y and the drapery.
BD-4 -- Stars on the right are distant from the Y and the drapery.
BD-5 -- The lower left star nearly touches the hair curl.
Doug Winter Commentary: A total of five varieties are known for 1805 half eagles. Three are common while the other two (BD-4 and BD-5) are very rare. This coin expertly combines true absolute rarity with pretty spiffy conditional rarity.
Provenance: Purchased from Paramount International Coin Corporation (12/3/1974); Harry W. Bass, Jr. Core Collection (Heritage, 9/2022), lot 11040.
From The Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr. Collection of Early Half Eagles.
Coin Index Numbers: (Variety PCGS# 45618, Base PCGS# 8088, Greysheet# 198211)
Weight: 8.75 grams
Metal: 91.67% Gold, 8.33% Copper
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.
Auction Info
2026 January 8 US Coins Signature Auction - FUN Special Sessions: Ellsworth & Jacobson #1389 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
January
8th
Thursday
3:50 pm CT
Auction Dates
January
8th
Thursday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
8 Days
12h 7m 41s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 9
Lot Tracking Activity: 27
Page Views: 311
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
22% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.
This lot is in: 1 -
Signature® Floor Session - Platinum Session - The Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr. Collection of Early Half Eagles (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 1001-1068) - 4:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, January 8, 2026 (5:00 PM Eastern Time).
[Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session.]
Exhibition Viewing Times, Title Page, Floor Session and License Information
Additional Location Info:
Orange County Convention Center
North/South Building
9400 Universal Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32819
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