1799 $10 Small Obverse Stars, BD-3, High R.6, MS62 PCGS....

Description

1799 BD-3 Eagle, MS62
High Condition Census

1799 $10 Small Obverse Stars, BD-3, High R.6, MS62 PCGS. Ex: Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection. Bass-Dannreuther Die State b/d. A delicate obverse crack is noted from the border to the lower left serif of the B in LIBERTY. Among the early eagles that were retained for the core collection, this piece was the first that Mr. Bass acquired, now 55 years ago. Today, it is tied for the finest of those known to us.

This was the third early ten that Harry W. Bass, Jr. purchased following an 1801 BD-2 that was obtained at the 1966 ANA convention and a 1799 BD-2 that he purchased in October 1966. Bass collected 61 early eagles dated from 1795 to 1804. All but six of those coins were obtained during the 15-year period from 1968 to 1982, an average of more than three per year, in addition to hundreds of other coins that he purchased during those years. His most active period for the early eagles was early 1975 when he acquired 19 pieces during the first two months of the year. His most recent early eagle purchase was a little over 32 years ago in March 1991. These statistics illustrate the importance of the Bass Collection that offers coins unavailable to the vast majority of today's collectors.

During his three decades of collecting, Mr. Bass obtained two examples of this variety. His duplicate, now also graded MS62, was offered as a PCGS MS61 when it was sold in November 2000. That second example was acquired from Pine Tree Auctions in June 1975. In Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, A Study of Die States, 1795-1834, John W. Dannreuther estimates that just 16 to 20 examples of the 1799 BD-3 eagle are known. Our review of recent auctions includes a dozen different examples, and we believe that Dannreuther's survival estimate from 2006 remains accurate. The following examples are cataloged as Mint State:

1. MS62 PCGS. Alex Shuford Collection (Abe Kosoff, 5/1968), lot 2158; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Core Collection, Part III (Heritage, 5/2023), lot 4576; our current consignor. The present specimen.
2. MS62 PCGS. Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2009), lot 2734, realized $34,500; Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2020), lot 3809, realized $20,400; Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 9/2020), lot 3752, realized $36,000.
3. MS62 NGC. Breen II (Pine Tree, 6/1975), lot 201; Harry W. Bass, Jr. (Bowers and Merena, 11/2000), lot 578 as MS61 PCGS; Summer FUN Signature (Heritage, 7/2009), lot 1289, realized $20,700; Houston Signature (Heritage, 12/2009), lot 1744, not sold; Fort Worth Signature (Heritage, 3/2010), lot 2394, not sold; Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2010), lot 2277, realized $32,200; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2012), lot 4960, realized $37,375.
4. MS61 NGC. Houston Signature (Heritage, 12/2009), lot 1743, realized $29,900
5. MS60 NGC. FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2023), lot 3870, realized $31,200. Cataloged as 1799 BD-2.


This fully lustrous piece exhibits slightly reflective yellow-gold surfaces that are free of marks aside from faint adjustment marks at the borders and central obverse. Featuring a bold strike, this piece presents exceptional visual appeal. In its 2023 appearance as part of the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Core Collection, this very coin set the record for a 1799 BD-3 ten dollar gold piece. Given the undiminished demand for rare early gold, we expect another record is in the offing. Population for all Small Stars varieties: 32 in 62 (2 in 62+), 37 finer (11/25). PCGS Population for BD-3: 1 in 62, 0 finer (11/25).
Ex: Alex Shuford Collection (Abe Kosoff, 5/1968), lot 2158; The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Core Collection, Part III.

Coin Index Numbers: (Variety PCGS# 45726, Base PCGS# 98562, Greysheet# 198078)

Weight: 17.50 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.

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