Early Half Eagles
1807 $5 Bust Right, BD-4, High R.4, MS64 NGC. Bass-Dannreuther Die State c/a. A shortened curl is directly over the 1 in the date, and the first T in STATES is close to the cloud. The obverse is shared with BD-3, while the reverse was later paired with two other head dies to create BD-5 and BD-6. This is the most available variety among them, yet only 70 to 90 examples are known. It is the technical quality of this near-Gem half eagle; however, that should resonate most with advanced specialists. There are only a handful of 1807 Bust Right five dollar gold coins that survive in this state of preservation, with a single example graded higher.
Luminous luster over light lemon-gold surfaces gives this piece the appearance of having been freshly minted. Definition is mushy at the immediate centers, but the stars, wingtips, and tailfeathers are boldly struck. Although lightly marked, it is difficult to image a finer representative. Truly a magnificent specimen from this transitional period in the early Mint's history. Census (all varieties): 9 in 64, 1 finer (7/17).
HID02901242017