Heritage World Coin Auctions
CSNS Signature US Coin Sale 1254 26-28 Apr 2017
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Early Half Eagles
1806 $5 Pointed 6, 8x5 Stars, BD-3, R.7, MS62 PCGS. CAC. Bass-Dannreuther Die State d. According to David Akers, the 1806 Capped Bust Right half eagle with a Pointed 6 in the date is "the scarcest Half Eagle of this type after 1798." Five Pointed 6 varieties are known for the date (with a single, but much more available, Knob 6 variety). This coin represents the very rare BD-3 variety, with a broken left foot on the T in LIBERTY and R and I in AMERICA both merging with the leaf on the reverse. The BD-3 is the rarest of all the 1806 varieties, with a surviving population estimated at 6-10 examples in all grades. It probably accounted for 750-1,250 pieces of the reported mintage. This was the only use of both obverse and reverse dies. Both Edgar Adams and Waldo Newcomer were aware of this obscure variety in the early 20th century, but other specialists, like John H. Clapp and Walter Breen, did not list it in their works, and it was forgotten in later years. Harry Bass rediscovered the BD-3 when he purchased the example in Gaston DiBello's collection in 1970 (see roster below).
Remarkably, Harry Bass was able to locate three examples of this very rare variety and all three coins have been retained by the Bass Foundation because they represent different states of the dies. One of the Bass coins is reportedly ex: Norweb, but the plate of the coin in the Norweb catalog does not match the coin in the Bass Sylloge and we believe that coin is actually the specimen from a Bowers and Merena sale held in March, 1998. This must have been one of the last purchases Bass made, as he passed away in April of 1998. Only a few specimens of the BD-3 remain available to collectors, including two examples from the remarkable Hutchinson Collection, the MS62 coin offered here and the attractive AU58 representative we offered in lot 5857 of the recent FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2017). Other collectible examples include an XF40 specimen that appeared in lot 2548 of the Rindge & Harlan Collections (Bowers and Merena, 12/2003), and the Norweb coin, if it is indeed different from the third Bass specimen. There may be a few more coins hidden in old collections that have not surfaced in recent years, but the BD-3 is undoubtedly an extremely elusive issue in today's market.
The present coin is an attractive MS62 specimen with well-detailed design elements that show a touch of softness on the centers of both sides. This softness is seen on all specimens of this issue. Walter Breen believed it was caused by the antiquated screw press the coins were struck on, which he identified as the one sold by Matthias Ogden's widow to the Mint, which had been in use striking New Jersey coppers since 1786. Some vertical planchet adjustment marks are visible on the bust that were not quite struck out. From a late state of the dies, the obverse shows an extensive network of spidery die cracks through the stars on both sides, and a more dramatic crack from the edge at 11 o'clock, through the bust and 0 in the date. The lightly marked orange-gold surfaces exhibit prooflike reflectivity throughout and eye appeal is outstanding. We have found no prior history for this coin and believe it has been off the market for some time. This coin may be the finest-known example of this underrated die variety and we expect intense competition when this lot is called.
Roster of 1806 BD-3 Capped Bust Right Half Eagles
1. MS62 PCGS. Hutchinson Collection. The present coin.
2. Brilliant Uncirculated. David S. Wilson Collection (S.H. Chapman, 3/1907), lot 52; John Zug; later possibly King Farouk; Palace Collections of Egypt (Sotheby's, 2/1954), part of lot 231; Gaston DiBello; DiBello Collection, Part II (Stack's, 5/1970), lot 811; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; Harry Bass Foundation.
3. AU58- MS60. Purchased from "Kendrick" on September 16, 1909 by Albert Fairchild Holden; Emery May Holden Norweb; Norweb Collection, Part I (Bowers and Merena, 10/1987), lot 753; mistakenly reported to be the third coin in the Harry Bass Foundation, but that coin is number 5 below.
4. AU58 PCGS. Hutchinson Collection; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2017), lot 5857.
5. Choice Extremely Fine. John A. Beck Collection (Quality Sales, 1/1975), lot 357; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; Harry Bass Foundation.
6. XF45. An old-time collection; Boys Town-Mamiye Collections (Bowers and Merena, 3/1998), lot 2152; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; Harry Bass Foundation.
7. XF40. Rindge & Harlan Collections (Bowers and Merena, 12/2003), lot 2548.
Additional Appearance
A. Grade Uncertain. Waldo Newcomer Collection; "Col." E.H.R. Green; variety identified from the Newcomer plates but not definitively matched to any other specimen. Definitely not numbers 1-3 or 5 above.
From The Hutchinson Collection, Part II.
HID02901242017
1806 $5 Pointed 6, 8x5 Stars, BD-3, R.7, MS62 PCGS. CAC. Bass-Dannreuther Die State d. According to David Akers, the 1806 Capped Bust Right half eagle with a Pointed 6 in the date is "the scarcest Half Eagle of this type after 1798." Five Pointed 6 varieties are known for the date (with a single, but much more available, Knob 6 variety). This coin represents the very rare BD-3 variety, with a broken left foot on the T in LIBERTY and R and I in AMERICA both merging with the leaf on the reverse. The BD-3 is the rarest of all the 1806 varieties, with a surviving population estimated at 6-10 examples in all grades. It probably accounted for 750-1,250 pieces of the reported mintage. This was the only use of both obverse and reverse dies. Both Edgar Adams and Waldo Newcomer were aware of this obscure variety in the early 20th century, but other specialists, like John H. Clapp and Walter Breen, did not list it in their works, and it was forgotten in later years. Harry Bass rediscovered the BD-3 when he purchased the example in Gaston DiBello's collection in 1970 (see roster below).
Remarkably, Harry Bass was able to locate three examples of this very rare variety and all three coins have been retained by the Bass Foundation because they represent different states of the dies. One of the Bass coins is reportedly ex: Norweb, but the plate of the coin in the Norweb catalog does not match the coin in the Bass Sylloge and we believe that coin is actually the specimen from a Bowers and Merena sale held in March, 1998. This must have been one of the last purchases Bass made, as he passed away in April of 1998. Only a few specimens of the BD-3 remain available to collectors, including two examples from the remarkable Hutchinson Collection, the MS62 coin offered here and the attractive AU58 representative we offered in lot 5857 of the recent FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2017). Other collectible examples include an XF40 specimen that appeared in lot 2548 of the Rindge & Harlan Collections (Bowers and Merena, 12/2003), and the Norweb coin, if it is indeed different from the third Bass specimen. There may be a few more coins hidden in old collections that have not surfaced in recent years, but the BD-3 is undoubtedly an extremely elusive issue in today's market.
The present coin is an attractive MS62 specimen with well-detailed design elements that show a touch of softness on the centers of both sides. This softness is seen on all specimens of this issue. Walter Breen believed it was caused by the antiquated screw press the coins were struck on, which he identified as the one sold by Matthias Ogden's widow to the Mint, which had been in use striking New Jersey coppers since 1786. Some vertical planchet adjustment marks are visible on the bust that were not quite struck out. From a late state of the dies, the obverse shows an extensive network of spidery die cracks through the stars on both sides, and a more dramatic crack from the edge at 11 o'clock, through the bust and 0 in the date. The lightly marked orange-gold surfaces exhibit prooflike reflectivity throughout and eye appeal is outstanding. We have found no prior history for this coin and believe it has been off the market for some time. This coin may be the finest-known example of this underrated die variety and we expect intense competition when this lot is called.
Roster of 1806 BD-3 Capped Bust Right Half Eagles
1. MS62 PCGS. Hutchinson Collection. The present coin.
2. Brilliant Uncirculated. David S. Wilson Collection (S.H. Chapman, 3/1907), lot 52; John Zug; later possibly King Farouk; Palace Collections of Egypt (Sotheby's, 2/1954), part of lot 231; Gaston DiBello; DiBello Collection, Part II (Stack's, 5/1970), lot 811; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; Harry Bass Foundation.
3. AU58- MS60. Purchased from "Kendrick" on September 16, 1909 by Albert Fairchild Holden; Emery May Holden Norweb; Norweb Collection, Part I (Bowers and Merena, 10/1987), lot 753; mistakenly reported to be the third coin in the Harry Bass Foundation, but that coin is number 5 below.
4. AU58 PCGS. Hutchinson Collection; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2017), lot 5857.
5. Choice Extremely Fine. John A. Beck Collection (Quality Sales, 1/1975), lot 357; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; Harry Bass Foundation.
6. XF45. An old-time collection; Boys Town-Mamiye Collections (Bowers and Merena, 3/1998), lot 2152; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; Harry Bass Foundation.
7. XF40. Rindge & Harlan Collections (Bowers and Merena, 12/2003), lot 2548.
Additional Appearance
A. Grade Uncertain. Waldo Newcomer Collection; "Col." E.H.R. Green; variety identified from the Newcomer plates but not definitively matched to any other specimen. Definitely not numbers 1-3 or 5 above.
From The Hutchinson Collection, Part II.
HID02901242017