1800 $10 MS62 PCGS. Breen-6842, Taraszka-23, BD-1, High R.3....

Description

Important 1800 Eagle, BD-1, MS62
Late Reverse Die State Struck in 1801

1800 $10 MS62 PCGS. Breen-6842, Taraszka-23, BD-1, High R.3. Bass-Dannreuther Obverse Die State c/Reverse Die State e. With its turn-of-the-century date and low recorded mintage of 5,999 coins, the 1800 eagle has long been a collector favorite, although the early eagles as a whole rank high with gold specialists. From the series' debut in 1795 until the time the 1800 eagles rolled around, both sides of this largest gold denomination saw several evolutionary changes. The major reverse change, after 1797 and lasting through 1804, was the switch from the Small Eagle to the Heraldic Eagle reverse, although there were many other more-minor tweaks on the reverse -- 13 Leaves, 9 Leaves, Long Neck, Short Neck, and others.
The obverse of the early eagles between 1795 and 1800 was an even more active canvas, with stars varying in arrangement, number, and size -- 10x5 Stars, 8x8 Stars, 12x4 Stars, 10x6 Stars, 9x4 Stars, 7x6 Stars, 8x5 Stars, Small Stars, Large Stars, and other minor variants.
By the 1800 issue, the Mint had settled down a bit from its early experimentations, and the small mintage dictated the requirement for only a single known die pair -- the obverse featuring the last 8x5 Stars arrangement noted above, combined with Heraldic Eagle reverse. The reverse die, in fact, is not new but a carryover from the 1799 BD-10. The reverse, with a different, 1801-dated obverse, was also used to strike some examples of the 1801 BD-1.
Die state researcher par excellence Harry Bass Jr. was intrigued by this phenomenon, owning three examples each of the 1800 BD-1 and 1801 BD-1. The Bass Core Collection coin is one of the late-state examples, struck in a remarriage after some of the 1801 pieces. From this remarriage numismatists also deduce that some of the 1800-dated pieces were actually delivered in 1801, and that the mintage is larger than the figure reported for the calendar year 1800. Bass-Dannreuther estimate from 6,000 to 12,500 total struck, of which 200-300 pieces survive today.
This high-end piece is struck from the late reverse die state, with the denticles only slightly weak over STAT. The bright, semiprooflike fields exhibit appealing yellow-gold color with none of the usually seen reddish patina. The strike is sharp throughout: the hair curls, eagle's breast, and wing tips. There are no singular contact marks on either side of this intriguing and important early numismatic treasure. Population: 16 in 62, 12 finer (3/11).(Registry values: P2)

Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 8563, Greysheet# 9347)

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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