Early Half Eagles
1806 $5 Knob 6, 7x6 Stars, BD-6, R.2, MS64 NGC. Bass-Dannreuther Die State d/e. Round Top, Knobbed 6. The late die state is confirmed by an obvious rust lump on R in LIBERTY. A later state exists, where die clashing forewarns a terminal state of the dies, but this coin shows only a few areas of minor clashing. Long a favorite of early gold type collectors, the BD-6 variety is not only the most readily available early half eagle, it is among the most populous of any early gold denomination. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 pieces exist in all grades.
Even so, near-Gem examples and finer are scarce-to-rare. Only a handful of numerically finer pieces than the present coin exist. Brilliant satiny luster covers both sides of this greenish-gold five, with just a few minor marks that disturb the frosted surfaces. The strike is centrally bold on the obverse but slightly weak at the shield stripes and left eagle's wing as always seen, a function of obverse die in the hammer and the reverse in the anvil position. Census: 18 in 64, 1 finer (11/16).