Early Half Dollars
1794 50C O-103, T-10, High R.5, VF20 NGC. Tompkins Die State 1/1. The date is widely spaced between the 7 and 9, appearing as 17 94. This variety is the second of three uses of the obverse, paired with the sole use of the reverse. The right leg of R in AMERICA is repunched along the outer edge. Apparently, the reverse die failed early on in the minting of O-103, accounting for the scarcity of the variety.
Olive-gray tones deepen to bluish-gray shades at the margins. We note a cluster of small marks above the 79 in the date, and two small areas of slightly granular, deeper toning to the right of Liberty's chin and neck. The hair strands are well-defined for the assigned grade, as are the eagle's wing feathers. Significantly, only one confirmed Overton-103 example exists in a grade finer than the VF level.
From The Terry Brand Estate, Part IV.
HID02901242017