1808/7 $5 Close Date, BD-2, High R.4, MS64+ PCGS....

Description

1808/7 Capped Bust Left Five, MS64+
Registry Grade Early Overdate
Close Date, BD-2

1808/7 $5 Close Date, BD-2, High R.4, MS64+ PCGS. Bass-Dannreuther Die State a/c., with no obverse die cracks. A respectable mintage of 55,578 Capped Bust Left half eagles was accomplished in 1808, with four die varieties known for the date. This coin represents the BD-2 variety, easily recognized by the Tall 1 in the date. Both the BD-1 and BD-2 varieties of 1808 were struck with leftover obverse dies from 1807, but the BD-1 variety, which shares the same reverse, has a Short 1 in the date. This was the only use of the obverse die, but the reverse was also used to produce the BD-8 variety of 1807, and the BD-1 and BD-3 varieties of 1808. The BD-2 variety is seen more often than the BD-1 overdate, but it is still a scarce issue, with a surviving population of 80-100 examples in all grades. The BD-2 die marriage probably struck about 7,500-12,500 pieces of the reported mintage.

The 1808 half eagles were popular with early collectors and the overdates were noticed by catalogers at least as early as the John Colvin Randall Collection (W. Elliot Woodward, 6/1885), where lot 911 noted, "1808 No. 3; die altered from 1807; fine." The lot realized $5.35, about in line with the other half eagles in this sale. More recent sales include the prior appearance of the coin offered here (as MS64 PCGS) in lot 3518 of the FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2007), which realized $63,250.

This Plus-graded near-Gem example has a crisp strike, and the field areas on each side are virtually untouched. One of the lower points of obverse star 13 is notched (as made--the so-called "secret signature" of designer John Reich). A large round die center punch lump within a depressed circle is evident on the jaw in front of the hair curl. Lapping has resulted in some incomplete detail on the bottommost curl. Lovely satin luster illuminates the clean fields and well-formed devices. The essentially yellow-gold coloration is imbued with lime-green undertones. Although this piece is remarkably well-preserved, thin horizontal marks are noted across Liberty's neck and cheek. The reverse seems virtually blemish-free. This is the only 1808/7 certified in MS64+ by PCGS, with a single MS65 example finer, while NGC has graded no coins finer than MS63 (11/19).
Ex: FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2007), lot 3518, realized $63,250; ANA Convention Auction (Stack's Bowers, 8/2011), lot 7661.
From The HFW² Collection.

Coin Index Numbers: (Variety PCGS# 45637, Base PCGS# 8103, GSID# 197942)

Metal: 91.67% Gold, 8.33% Copper
Weight: 8.75 grams
AGW: 0.25789oz
Mintage: 55,500

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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