1795 $5 Small Eagle, BD-3, High R.3, AU55 PCGS....

Description

1795 Small Eagle Five Dollar, AU55
BD-3, Attractive First-Year Type Coin

1795 $5 Small Eagle, BD-3, High R.3, AU55 PCGS. Bass-Dannreuther Die State c/b. BD-3 is among the more plentiful varieties of the 1795 Small Eagle five dollar piece. Five of the six 1795 Small Eagle fives housed in the Smithsonian Institution are of the BD-3 variety, including one example from the Mint Cabinet and another from the Lilly collection. In Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, John Dannreuther notes that the other three Smithsonian BD-3 coins came from the F.A. Hauck donation and the 1979 Chase Manhattan donation.

Outside of institutional collections, BD-3 is by far the most frequently encountered Small Eagle variety of this date, and collectors seeking a high-grade example are well-suited to acquire a BD-3 representative. The variety is ideal for type collectors seeking a single, attractive example of this design. Nonetheless, one must realize that high-end BD-3 coins are not readily available. Dannreuther writes, "Although this is the common variety of the 1795 Small Eagle coinage, one must realize that common is a very relative term. Even if there are 200 extant for this pairing, it is still a rare coin."

This Choice AU example is delightful. Original surfaces retain abundant mint luster in the protected portions of the fields, with rich honey-gold color that yields to shades of deeper rose in the open portions areas. Strike sharpness is outstanding on the central hair curls and the eagle's breast feathers, while slight softness appears only on the eagle's leg. Trivial handling marks are not bothersome. Among AU-level BD-3 half eagles of this first-year date, few examples rival this piece in terms of eye appeal.
Ex: The Athens Collection Showcase (Heritage, 11/2021), lot 91150.

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25ND, Variety PCGS# 519852, Base PCGS# 8066, Greysheet# 198165)

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.

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