LOT #3179 |
Current Bid: $8,250
1806 $5 Pointed 6, 8x5 Stars, BD-5, High R.6, MS61 PCGS....
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Description
1806 Pointed 6, 8x5 Stars Half Eagle
MS61 Example of the Very Rare BD-5
Likely Tied Second Finest
1806 $5 Pointed 6, 8x5 Stars, BD-5, High R.6, MS61 PCGS.
White-gold and wheat-gold intersperse to create a beautiful patina
of lighter hues. Post-mint abrasions are virtually absent, though
significant parallel adjustment marks are found on the reverse.
Striking weakness is intense at the center of both sides of this
coin, but this is present on all known examples of this die
marriage and likely tells us a great deal about its demise.
Bass-Dannreuther repeats Miller's speculation that die sinking
induced by improper hardening caused this die's demise, and also
suggests that reversed die positioning -- the obverse as the anvil
die and the reverse as the hammer die -- contributed to the
weakness as well. Either way, the coin should not be docked solely
for this reason.The same or similar phenomena did not occur on most other die marriages of the year, however. BD-6, the sole Knobbed 6 variety of the year, is R.2, and the BD-1, 2, and 4 varieties are in the R.4 to R.5 range. The only competition to the present BD-5 in terms of rarity is the R.7 BD-3, which quickly developed multiple die cracks.
In terms of quality, this is likely tied for second finest known of the die marriage. A look through our and Stacks Bowers' archives reveals our sale of an MS61 example in 2022, along with the MS63 Bass example we sold in 2023. The former offering lists only a half-dozen auction appearances, and just the Bass example and one other have been available at auction since then. Therefore, this example is likely tied for Condition Census #2.
From The Charles Collection.
Coin Index Numbers: (Variety PCGS# 45625, Base PCGS# 8090, Greysheet# 198217)
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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Auction Info
2026 March 26 - 28 US Coins Signature® Auction #1391 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
March
26th
Thursday
4:50 pm CT
Auction Dates
March
26th-28th
Thursday-Saturday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
4 Days
3h 7s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 8
Lot Tracking Activity: 15
Page Views: 190
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
22% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.
This lot is in: 1 -
Signature® Premier Floor Session (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 3001-3316) - 5:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, March 26, 2026.
[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:
Heritage Auctions - Dallas
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261
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