The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection - Part II

Half Eagles - Lots 860-916

Amazing Gem 1837 Half Eagle

Perhaps the Finest Known

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860     1837 Breen-6512. MS-66 (PCGS). An incredible coin with bright yellow gold lustre and extremely sharp design details. The surfaces are virtually flawless. A wonderful match for the similar high-quality 1837 quarter eagle also offered in this sale. This is almost certainly the finest known business strike 1837 half eagle in existence, regardless of variety. The only rivals we are aware of are a coin catalogued by Steve Ivy as MS-65 and offered in his May 1983 sale, and a coin offered as Gem BU by Stack’s in January 1986. Both of those were examples of the McCloskey-1A die combination.

This coin also far outdistances any other example we have handled, the previous highlight among coins sold by our firm being an MS-60 example in our 1978 ANA sale and a similar MS-60 in our sale of February 1976. Truly a coin for the connoisseur. Regarding this issue, John McCloskey noted: "This date is the rarest of the five Philadelphia issues, and has proven to be more difficult to obtain than the mintage figure would indicate."

PCGS Population: 2, none finer.

McCloskey-2B. Block 8, single forehead curl. With berry in branch, no tongue, arrow feather over center of 5. Common variety. Perfect dies. Plainly repunched 5 (5D) at top.

From Rarcoa’s session of Auction ’85, Lot 438.

Further Mint State 1837 $5

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861     1837 Large Date. Breen-6512. MS-62 (PCGS). A wonderful example with brilliant yellow gold lustre and very minor surface marks, most notable on Liberty’s cheek.

McCloskey-2B. Block 8, single forehead curl. With berry in branch, no tongue, arrow feather over center of 5. Common variety. Of course, the term "common" is equal to rare if related to 20th-century American coinage. And, in Mint State no 1837 half eagle is common.

Purchased from Se Ro Coins, Inc., March 10, 1969.

862     1837 Small Date. Breen-6513. AU-53. A pleasing example with moderately abraded surfaces. Considerable light yellow gold lustre with minor orange toning.

McCloskey-3C. Fancy 8, single forehead curl. No berry in branch, no tongue, arrow feather right of 5. Scarce variety. Very faint die crack through the tops of AMER.

From Lester Merkin’s sale of March 1967, Lot 457.

Wonderful Gem 1838 Half Eagle

From the Garrett Collection


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863     1838 Breen-6514. Large Arrows, Small 5. MS-65 (PCGS). A superb gem in bright yellow gold with frosty mint lustre and sharp design details. An incredible gem example, one of two such in the present offering. Just two die varieties are known for the 286,538 coins struck. Each of these varieties is represented by a gem MS-65 example in the present sale. An extremely important opportunity for the specialist. We believe this example to be the finest known of the variety, or at the very least, one of two or three top-notch examples.

PCGS Population: 2; 1 finer (MS-66).

McCloskey-1A. Perfect dies. Fancy 8, double forehead curl. With berry in branch, no tongue, arrow feather over center of 5. Small 5, large arrowheads. Common variety.

From Stack’s Garrett sale, March 1976, Lot 371.

Another Mint State 1838 Half Eagle

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864     1838 Breen-6514. Large Arrows, Small 5. MS-61 (PCGS). A wonderful example for the grade, sharply struck with minor hairlines and abrasions, these considerations being carefully evaluated by PCGS when they assigned the MS-61 grade. A highly important offering for the specialist, as 1838 half eagles are only seldom seen at any level of Mint State.

McCloskey-1A. Fancy 8, double forehead curl. With berry in branch, no tongue, arrow feather over center of 5. Small 5, large arrowheads. Common variety. Minor clash marks.

Purchased from Jack L. Klausen, November 3, 1968.

Amazing Gem Prooflike 1838 Half Eagle

Akers and Breen "Proof"


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865     1838 Breen-6515. Small Arrows, Large 5. MS-65 (PCGS). A wonderful gem example with sharp design details and reflective deep yellow gold fields. Amazing prooflike cameo quality. This amazing coin is among the very finest known 1838 half eagles in existence. The only finer examples we are aware of include the MS-66 coin graded by PCGS and a nearly flawless MS-67 example in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. When offered by Spink America in 1996, the cataloguer noted: "Both David Akers and Walter Breen believed this coin to be the sole Proof of the date. Certainly the coin has many of the properties of a Proof but the somewhat rounded rims of this piece have led to our description of the coin as a prooflike specimen. In any case, this superb piece is clearly one of the first struck from the newly polished dies, quite possibly for presentation purposes." At the time of their offering of this coin, it was encapsulated by NGC as "Specimen MS-65."

What is a Proof and what is not among early American coinage is not rigidly defined, and often one expert will designate a piece a Proof, while another will suggest that a prooflike business strike is more accurate. We are the first to admit that experts can and do differ in their opinions, not only on this matter but others as well, and we invite prospective bidders to make their own determination. Should a future owner decide to call it "Proof," we have absolutely no quarrel with such an attribution.

PCGS Population: 2; 1 finer (MS-66 finest).

McCloskey-2B. Fancy 8, double forehead curl. With berry in branch, no tongue, arrow feather over right side of 5. Large 5, small arrowheads. Perfect dies.

From Spink America’s sale of the Byron Reed Collection, October 1996, Lot 126.

Choice Mint State 1838-C Half Eagle

First Charlotte Issue

A Great Rarity So Fine

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866     1838-C Breen-6516. Repunched 5. MS-63 (PCGS). A wonderful example, sharply struck, with reflective deep orange-gold lustre. A lovely cameo with prooflike qualities and only very minor surface abrasions. This is the first Charlotte Mint half eagle and the only Classic Head issue of this mint, one of 17,179 coins struck. Douglas Winter noted that 10,959 of these were actually struck in 1838 and another 6,220 in 1839. This is possibly the finest known example, at least tied with the Stack’s April 1978 coin, which Winter noted as number 1 in his Condition Census. Only one other coin, from the Gaylord Collection, was listed in his Census as Mint State. This is also the rarer of two die varieties known for 1838-C half eagles. Prior to the current sale, we have handled 17 examples of the McCloskey-1A variety and just three of this 1B variety, the finest being an AU-50 coin in our November 1998 sale of the Columbia Collection.

By any evaluation, this 1840-C $5 is an American numismatic landmark, a memorable piece that will be forever treasured by its next owner. Once sold, virtually no sum will obtain a duplicate, at least not easily.

PCGS Population: 1; none finer.

McCloskey-1B. Lapped obverse and reverse. Light reverse die rust is noted. Repunched 5 in denomination. Leaf nearly touches left curve of U.

Purchased from the Goliad Corporation, August 15, 1991.

Another Desirable 1838-C $5

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867     1838-C Breen-6516. EF-40 (PCGS). Light greenish gold with moderately abraded surfaces. Considerable lustre remains in the protected areas. A pleasing example of the first Charlotte Mint half eagle, the only Classic Head issue of this design. The 1838-C in EF grade is a coin not to be sneezed at.

McCloskey-1B. Repunched 5 in denomination. Leaf nearly touches left curve of U. A heavy die crack bisects the reverse diagonally from the border at 1:30 to the border at 7:00, crossing the shield and leaves.

Purchased from Stanley Kesselman, November 1, 1973.

Lustrous 1838-C Half Eagle

Different Die Variety from Preceding


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868     1838-C Breen-6517. Normal 5. AU-55 (PCGS). Very light yellow gold with minor obverse and reverse abrasions as expected. A sharply struck impression. This is the more common of two varieties and a lovely example at that. Probably one of five or six finest existing 1838-C half eagles.

Douglas Winter listed two Mint State coins, one AU-55, and two AU-50 coins in his Condition Census. In addition, he suggested that two or three additional AU-50 grade examples are known. To this must be added MS-63, AU-55, and AU-53 grade coins in the present offering, none included in his Census. Prior to this sale, the finest 1838-C half eagle we have offered in any of our auctions was graded just AU-50.

The present 1838-C stands tall and proud as the finest specimen Harry Bass was able to find of this date, mint, and die variety. Again, here is a numismatic treasure.

PCGS Population: 1; 2 finer (MS-63 finest).

McCloskey-1A. Normal 5 in denomination. Two leaves below U. Lapped obverse and reverse. Comments regarding Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia: For both varieties of 1838-C half eagle, listed as Breen-6516 and Breen-6517, he listed very similar die cracks. His variety 6516 describes a die crack "from rim through leaves, leg, shield, wingtip, right rim." For variety 6517, he describes a die crack from "rim through U, feathers, shield, right rim near wingtip." Breen-6516 is the McCloskey-1B variety which is known with or without the die crack described. Breen-6517, the McCloskey-1A die combination, is not known with the described die crack, to the best of our knowledge. Harry Bass mentioned these differences in his notes, as well.

From Superior’s sale of the Gilhousen Collection, February 1973, Lot 368.

A Final 1838-C Half Eagle

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869     1838-C Breen-6517. Normal 5. AU-53 (PCGS). Sharply struck in light yellow gold with moderately abraded surfaces. Another example of this very popular first year of issue Charlotte Mint half eagle. In any other sale, this would be a major highlight. Although not to diminish this coin, in the current sale this is the third finest 1838-C half eagle! An opportunity of major importance exists for the specialist, or for the date collector, to bid on multiple examples of this single rarity. As the third finest in the current sale, this is still nicer than any 1838-C half eagles we have previously offered, in any sale back to 1957! You can lose your sense of numismatic reality in the present Bass Collection catalogue, and it is important to stop and take notice now and then. Just as collectors today often wish they had participated in certain of our earlier classic collection offerings, such as the Garrett Collection, Eliasberg Collection, Brand Collection, Norweb Collection–among others–a generation from now many aficionados will rue that they were not active in the hobby in 1999. Today, these opportunities are at your fingertips.

PCGS Population: 3; 3 finer (MS-63 finest).

McCloskey-1A. Normal 5 in denomination. Two leaves below U. Lapped obverse and reverse.

Purchased from Se Ro Coins, Inc., March 10, 1969.

Incredible Mint State 1838-D $5

First and Only Dahlonega Classic Head Issue


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870     1838-D Breen-6518. MS-62 (PCGS). Lustrous bright yellow gold with extraordinarily sharp design details and only a few very minor surface marks. A wonderful example of this important variety, the first and only Dahlonega Mint.

The entire production of 20,583 coins was produced from a single die pair, thus just one variety is known. In the far-flung numismatic community it is believed that only five or six survivors can be characterized as Mint State, this according to the research of Douglas Winter. The presently offered coin is tied for the finest certified by PCGS and handily eclipses any that we have ever offered in the past.

PCGS Population: 4; none finer. We reiterate that population numbers may include multiple submissions of the same coins.

McCloskey-1A. Fancy 8, single forehead curl. No berry in branch, no tongue, arrow feather over center of 5. Common variety. Minor clash marks. The reverse is cracked through tops of MERICA.

From Lester Merkin’s sale of October 1966, Lot 333.

Another Pleasing 1838-D Half Eagle

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871     1838-D Breen-6518. EF-45 (PCGS). Sharply struck in bright yellow gold with a trace of orange toning. Minor surface marks are visible, consistent with the grade assigned. A second example of this very popular issue. The opportunity to bid on more than one specimen in a single sale is quite unusual. Specialists and date collectors alike must be sure to take full advantage of this remarkable event.

McCloskey-1A. Fancy 8, single forehead curl. No berry in branch, no tongue, arrow feather over center of 5. Common variety. Perfect dies.

Purchased from Stanley Kesselman, September 24, 1970. Previously from Rarcoa’s 1970 ANA Sale, Lot 1530.

Mint State 1839-C Half Eagle

Obverse Mintmark

First Year of Liberty Head Type


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872     1839-C MS-61 (PCGS). A glittering yellow gold specimen with strong lustre and a hint of olive toning. From the first year of Christian Gobrecht’s Liberty or Coronet design type, and the only year of Liberty half eagle coinage with the mintmark on the obverse.

The present Mint State specimen is a fantastic rarity at this level. Although 17,205 were struck, VF to EF is the norm, and it is believed that only a handful of specimens are known–as a quick check of the writings of Walter Breen, David Akers, and Douglas Winter will reveal.

PCGS Population: 2; 4 finer (MS-64 finest). Again we state that population reports are interesting but may include multiple submissions of the same coin.

A single pair of dies was shipped from Philadelphia on May 3, 1839, representing the new design. Production commenced on June 17. By this time thousands of half eagles had already been struck during the year, but these, obviously, had to have been from 1838-C dies.

The Liberty Head or Coronet design by Christian Gobrecht was first used on the 1838 $10, then in 1839 on the copper cent and the half eagle. In 1840 it appeared on the half cent and quarter eagle. Across various denominations, the reverse lettering was smaller, more delicate on the earlier years, thus giving the pieces a very attractive aspect.

In the next year of the denomination, 1840, the obverse portrait of Liberty was slightly refined, and the mintmark location was changed to the reverse, where it remained until the demise of the series in 1908.

Purchased from N.K.S., November 1, 1967.

Impressive 1839-D Half Eagle

Obverse Mintmark

Seldom-Seen Quality

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873     1839-D Breen-6521. Mintmark above 39 in date. AU-58 (PCGS). Highly lustrous yellow gold with olive highlights. Remarkably prooflike in most areas. Nicely struck in all areas as well. Only 18,939 pieces were coined. Today, the typically encountered specimen is apt to grade VF or, occasionally, EF, with AU or finer specimens being of extremely high rarity. The present coin is important on several counts. First, it represents the initial appearance of the Liberty Head design and, simultaneously, the first use of a Dahlonega mintmark on the design.

Second, the mintmark is on the obverse, a characteristic of only this year.

Third, it is in extraordinarily high grade, AU-58 being remarkable.

Fourth, the 1839-D is rare in any and all grades.

PCGS population: 4; 3 finer (MS-62 finest).

Two reverse die cracks are noted. The first of these extends from the rim, passing between the O and F in OF, then terminating in the field near the eagle’s neck. The second crack extends from the rim, across the U in UNITED, to the olive leaf below that letter.

Two die varieties have been identified for this year, the present piece having the mintmark over the last two date digits (the other having the mintmark over the 3).

Two die pairs were shipped from the Philadelphia Mint to Dahlonega on March 22, 1839, received in Georgia on April 25, and put into service almost immediately.

From Stack’s sale of the Scanlon Collection, October 1973, Lot 2275.

Another Remarkable 1839-D $5

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874     1839-D Breen-6521. Mintmark above 39 in date. AU-53 (PCGS). Lustrous olive-gold. Nicely struck in all areas. A few light planchet marks, as struck, can be seen on the reverse. A definite rarity when found so fine.

On this variety the D mintmark is in a different position from the preceding, and is over the three in the date.

Purchased from Abner Kreisberg, April 1972.

Lustrous 1840 Half Eagle

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875     1840 Breen-6522. Broad Mill. AU-58 (PCGS). Lustrous to a high degree, and somewhat prooflike as well. Nicely struck in all areas. A nice example of early Liberty half eagle coinage.

The Broad Mill variety of the date, as offered here, has fine edge reeding, while the Narrow Mill variety displays coarse, rather broad edge reeding. Additionally, the Broad Mill variety is slightly wider in diameter than its Narrow Mill counterpart (as noted in our introduction to the half eagle series).

Purchased from Stanley Kesselman, November 1967.

876     1840 Breen-6522. Broad Mill. EF-40. Warm rose and orange toning highlights on the design high points.

From Abe Kosoff’s ANA sale, August 1968, Lot 948.

Brilliant 1840 Half Eagle

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877     1840 Breen-6523. Narrow Mill. AU-58 (PCGS). Pleasing surfaces for the grade with strong lustre present, particularly in the recessed areas. A rarity that is typically seen in EF or lower, and seldom found above AU. A few scattered marks are present, as might be expected for the grade, but the overall appeal is substantial.

On the specimen offered here, a thin die crack runs from the reverse rim at 11:00 through the A of STATES, and from there across the field to the eagle’s beak, and then to the corner of the shield below the eagle’s head.

From Stack’s sale of the Delp Collection, November 1972, Lot 805.

878     1840 Breen-6523. Narrow Mill. AU-55. Lustrous orange-gold with rose highlights. Free of major marks and choice for the grade.

From Lester Merkin’s sale of April 1970, Lot 730.

879     1840 Breen-6523. Narrow Mill. AU-55. Lustrous surfaces with warm gold highlights at the rims.

From Abner Kreisberg’s sale of December 1970, Lot 1695.

880     1840 Breen-6523. Narrow Mill. AU-55. Highly lustrous with attractive olive highlights. Perhaps lightly brushed on the reverse.

From Stack’s sale of the Bartle Collection, October 1984, Lot 1115.

881     1840 Breen-6523. Narrow Mill. AU-50. Lustrous orange-gold with a whisper of pale rose toning. A few faint marks are noted, none of which are extreme for the grade. Some faint brush marks are present on both sides.

882     1840 Breen-6523. Narrow Mill. AU-50. Rich golden orange toning.

From Lester Merkin’s sale of April 1969, Lot 208.

883     1840 Breen-6523. Narrow Mill. AU-50. Yet another attractive and lustrous specimen of this popular date and variety.

Purchased from Stanley Kesselman, October 1972.

Underrated 1840-C $5 Rarity

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884     1840-C AU-53 (PCGS). Bright yellow gold with a touch of olive iridescence. Scarcer in all grades than its modest mintage of 18,956 pieces indicates. Rare and underrated above EF; indeed, Douglas Winter considers this date to be High Rarity-7 in AU. This attractive specimen should cause great attention among connoisseurs and specialists.

PCGS Population: 5; 4 finer (MS-62 finest). If we were an attorney we might say something like this: "The following statement is considered to be applied to all PCGS Population listings: Multiple submissions sometime result in a situation where several or even a half dozen or more coins appear in listings, but only one or two different pieces may be involved." Rather than repeat this commentary in each and every listing, we give it only occasionally.

Two pairs of dies were shipped from Philadelphia to Charlotte on January 24.

What may be the tops of an errant 1 and 8 can be seen in the dentils below those numerals on this specimen as well as those in the next two lots. Popular nomenclature for this error is "misplaced date." The 1840-C half eagles in the following two lots also show this detail.

From Stack’s sale of the Scanlon Collection, October 1973, Lot 2278.

Another Nice 1840-C $5

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885     1840-C AU-50 (PCGS). A lustrous specimen with much prooflike reflectivity in the fields. Some central weakness is seen on the reverse, typical for the date. Difficult to locate above the quality offered here.

From Abe Kosoff’s sale of the Shuford Collection, April 1968, Lot 2027.

Lustrous 1840-C Half Eagle

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886     1840-C AU-50 (PCGS). Lustrous yellow gold. Free of major marks and quite attractive for the grade. Scarce and desirable in all grades.

Purchased from Jack L. Klausen, June 1968.

High-Grade 1840-D $5

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887     1840-D Breen-6527. Narrow Mill, Mintmark above VE of FIVE. AU-55 (PCGS). Lustrous golden orange. A few stray marks are present, but the overall appeal is substantial. Typically found in VF to EF, with AU examples of the date quite rare.

On this variety, the mintmark is placed over the V and E of FIVE. Another variety is known with the mintmark positioned solely above the V in FIVE.

Three pairs of dies were used to coin 1840-D half eagles, two shipped on January 24 (and received February 3) and a final pair sent on October 20 (received October 30). Production occurred on several occasions beginning in late February. Most specimens known today are the so-called "Narrow Mill" about 21.7mm, as compared to the "Broad Mill" of 22.5mm. Walter Breen theorizes that two deliveries were made of the "Broad Mill" coins, amounting to 2,528 and 1,909 pieces respectively, with the balance of 18,459 pieces being of the "Narrow Mill" style. The size differences were caused by collar diameters.

Dahlonega Mint half eagles were workhorse coins, intended for circulation. This was the denomination of choice for rapidly converting large amounts of gold bullion into coin form. As is true of other Dahlonega issues, no thought was given to saving specimens for numismatic cabinets, and all were placed into the channels of commerce.

Purchased from Paramount, March 30, 1967.

Desirable 1840-D $5

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888     1840-D Breen-6527. Narrow Mill, Mintmark above VE of FIVE. AU-53 (PCGS). A lustrous yellow gold specimen with great overall appeal. Nicely struck for the date. A great opportunity for the attentive collector.

Purchased from Jack L. Klausen, June 1968.

Another Attractive 1840-D $5

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889     1840-D Breen-6527. Narrow Mill, Mintmark above VE of FIVE. AU-50. Lustrous yellow gold with a touch of olive. Nicely struck. Lightly brushed at the left of the obverse, but still an attractive example of a scarce date.

From Superior’s sale of February 1973, Lot 375.

890     1840-D Breen-6527. Narrow Mill, Mintmark above V of FIVE. Repunched 18. EF-40. Warm honey gold surfaces. Slightly granular, what today’s collectors call seawater surfaces. Repunched 18 in date, a fact not noted in Breen’s Encyclopedia, and important as such.

On the reverse, a die crack extends upward from the rim at 6:00, through the mintmark, arrow feathers, and stem above, and from there to the shield edge just to the viewer’s left of the shield’s point.

From Lester Merkin’s sale of March 1969, Lot 210.

Lustrous 1840-O Half Eagle

First New Orleans Mint $5

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891     1840-O Breen-6529. Narrow Mill, Small O Mintmark. AU-53 (PCGS). A lustrous yellow gold specimen of this underrated branch mint rarity. Some striking weakness is present, not an unusual occurrence for the date. Struck from rotated dies, with the reverse lined up at about 120°, as opposed to the usual 180° die alignment. Choice for the grade, and quite rare at the AU level.

From Superior’s sale of February 1972, Lot 376.

Mint State 1840-O $5 Rarity

Finest Certified by PCGS

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892     1840-O Breen-6530. Narrow Mill, Medium O Mintmark. MS-62 (PCGS). A satiny, yellow gold beauty with strong lustre and a sharp strike. An unsung rarity among early Liberty half eagles, easily as rare in Mint State as the Charlotte and Dahlonega issues of the date despite its higher mintage of 40,120 pieces. The 1840-O is typically found in VF to EF grades, with AU coins being quite rare, and Mint State pieces being of incredible rarity. An outstanding representative example of the date, a coin with strong claims to finest known honors. Opportunity knocks!

PCGS Population: 1; none finer.

As a rule, the early gold issues of the New Orleans Mint are as rare in Mint State as their contemporary issues from the sister mints in Charlotte and Dahlonega, although they are not so well appreciated as those issues. Unlike Charlotte and Dahlonega, two facilities that issued only gold coins, New Orleans also struck silver coins, thus somewhat diminishing the mystique of its gold issues. There is, however, a small coterie of gold coin specialists who understand the elusive nature of the early New Orleans issues. These enthusiasts have been quietly placing high-grade New Orleans gold pieces in their collections for many years, although most such high-grade pieces apt to be AU, rarely Mint State. The Harry W. Bass, Jr. gold coin collection affords specialists, old-timers and newcomers alike, a special opportunity to bid for and possibly own some highly impressive rarities from our southernmost mint.

Purchased from Julian Leidman, June 1969.

893     1840-O Breen-6530. Narrow Mill, Medium O Mintmark. AU-50. Lustrous yellow gold. Nicely struck for the date. Devoid of all but the most trivial marks, and choice as such.

From Abe Kosoff’s sale of October 1968, Lot 842.

894     1840-O Breen-6530. Narrow Mill, Medium O Mintmark. AU-50. Lustrous yellow gold with strong eye appeal for the grade. Nicely struck for the variety. A final example of this elusive date and mint.

Purchased from Dan Messer, August 1971.

Choice Mint State 1841 Half Eagle

Tied for Finest Graded by PCGS


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895     1841 MS-64 (PCGS). Lustrous satiny honey gold with some prooflike reflectivity. Nicely struck and devoid of all but the most trivial marks. An underrated issue from the Philadelphia Mint, and much rarer than even the modest mintage of 15,833 pieces indicates. Walter Breen mentioned a "tiny hoard" of Uncirculated specimens of the date that turned up in 1953; undoubtedly those pieces went into collections as soon as they became available, but this may explain, at least in part, the population numbers cited below. This 1841 is as nice as we have ever seen. Indeed, none have been certified finer by PCGS.

Regarding hoards, information concerning many if not most such groups of coins tends to be very elusive, as the editor (QDB) found out during the research leading up to the publication of American Coin Treasures and Hoards, 1997. In one particularly memorable instance, a leading writer for a popular numismatic publication wrote in definite (not tentative) terms about a certain hoard that had surfaced earlier in the present century. Upon asking the details of this hoard, as we were seeking them, the writer stated that he found this information in one of our past catalogues. Seeking to learn more, and wondering what we had forgotten, we looked up the particular catalogue, which stated that a hoard was rumored to have been found. However, in the later translation by the other author, the rumor aspect had been dropped!

PCGS Population: 11; none finer.

Purchased from Mal Varner, February 28, 1973.

Another Rare Mint State 1841 $5

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896     1841 MS-62 (PCGS). A satiny yellow gold specimen with intense lustre and some prooflike reflectivity, particularly on the reverse. An opportunity to compete for a Mint State specimen which, at least to our observation, has been very difficult to find over the years.

A faint reverse die crack runs from the rim at 11:00, through the right foot of the A in STATES, across the eagle’s beak, shield, and tail feathers, then through the upper left serif of the V in FIVE, and from there to the rim at 6:00.

From Stack’s sale of December 1970, Lot 154; formerly from B. Max Mehl’s sale of December 1930, Lot 389. From the Lusk and Leonard Sale.

Lustrous 1841 Half Eagle

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897     1841 AU-55. Satiny yellow gold surfaces show a high degree of lustre. A few faint marks are noted under low magnification, but the unaided eye is treated to an altogether lovely specimen of the date.

Purchased from Jack L. Klausen, June 1968.

Mint State 1841-C $5 Rarity


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898     1841-C MS-61 (PCGS). Highly lustrous with pale orange-gold highlights on flashy yellow gold surfaces. A rare date in all grades; only 21,467 examples were minted. Typically seen in VF or EF, with perhaps just half a dozen or so Mint State specimens known. Winter gives the date a Rarity-7 rating in Uncirculated, probably still an accurate assessment of the rarity. Prospective bidders may find that the present opportunity, if missed, may not be repeated for years.

PCGS Population: 2; 2 finer (MS-62).

From Abner Kreisberg’s sale of November 1972, Lot 1164.

Another High-Grade 1841-C $5

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899     1841-C AU-58 (PCGS). Lustrous medium gold surfaces exhibit much prooflike reflectivity. Nicely struck. Some faint marks are evident under low magnification, but the overall appeal is still quite strong. The 1841-C is a notable rarity at the AU level.

PCGS Population: 8; 4 finer (MS-62 finest).

From Lester Merkin’s sale of April 1970, Lot 732.

Uncirculated 1841-D Half Eagle

The Eliasberg Coin

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900     1841-D Breen-6534. Small D Mintmark, Repunched Date. MS-61 (PCGS). Lustrous orange-gold with prooflike reflectivity in the peripheral areas. Well worn VF or so is the typical grade for this rare date, although an AU or Mint State specimen is encountered occasionally. That fact aside, at AU or finer the date is still considered very rare, as any specialist can attest. Spirited bidding will be the order of the day for this desirable branch mint half eagle.

PCGS Population: 3; 4 finer (MS-65 finest).

Light repunching noted at the date numerals.

From our sale of the Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, October 1982, Lot 418. Possibly from the Clapp Collection 1942, Earlier form Elmer S. Sears 1908.

Another Remarkable 1841-D $5

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901     1841-D Breen-6534. Small D Mintmark, Repunched Date. AU-58 (PCGS). Lively yellow gold lustre tempered by a hint of orange-gold toning. Nicely struck overall. A few light marks are present, but none are of major significance.

Light repunching noted at the date numerals.

From Stack’s sale of February 1968, Lot 275.

A Further High-Grade 1841-D $5

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902     1841-D Breen-6534. Small D Mintmark, Repunched Date. AU-58 (PCGS). Rich orange-gold surfaces with strong lustre and delightful eye appeal.

From a different obverse die than the two previous lots. On this specimen, the four date numerals are all repunched, with strong definition in that area. Additionally, the obverse die is cracked in two places, and on the verge of shattering. The most obvious crack runs diagonally from rim to rim, beginning at 12:00, then descends vertically across Liberty’s portrait, between the 8 and 4 of the date, and finally to the rim at 6:00. Another less prominent (but no less obvious) crack runs from the rim at 10:00, across the upper two points of the fifth star, then across the field, Liberty’s forehead and eyebrow, then her hair, where it joins the vertical crack at a point below the E in LIBERTY.

From Paramount’s Auction ’86 sale, July 1986, Lot 1916.

Attractive 1841-D Half Eagle

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903     1841-D Breen-6534. Small D Mintmark, Repunched Date. AU-55 (PCGS). Lustrous golden orange surfaces. Some faint hairlines are seen on the obverse, yet the surfaces are basically free of any other noticeable marks.

From Lester Merkin’s sale of April 1969, Lot 215.

A Final Memorable 1841-D $5

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904     1841-D Breen-6534. Small D Mintmark, Repunched Date. AU-55 (PCGS). Golden orange surfaces display plenty of lustre. A few faint marks are noted and have been considered by the gurus in the darkened room used for grading at PCGS headquarters in California. The present piece is a fifth high-grade example of an 1841-D, a variety for which even a single coin at this level would be highly prized as a rarity–and justifiably so. How fortunate we are that Harry Bass loved to acquire duplicates!

From Rarcoa’s ANA sale, August 1970, Lot 1545.

Lustrous 1842 Half Eagle

Small Letters Reverse

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905     1842 Breen-6536. Small Letters. AU-55. Lustrous yellow gold. A few scattered marks are present; in his Encyclopedia, Breen noted this date is "usually badly nicked." The surfaces are somewhat granular, undoubtedly a seawater coin. Nicely struck, and still quite attractive for the grade.

On the reverse, a die crack runs through ERICA, progressing from there through the denomination, and from there through UNIT.

From Stack’s sale of the Davis Collection, February 1968, Lot 276.

Underrated 1842 Half Eagle

Large Letters Reverse

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906     1842 Breen-6537. Large Letters. AU-58 (PCGS). Shimmering yellow gold surfaces present a somewhat prooflike appearance. Low magnification reveals a smattering of tiny marks; two small ticks on Liberty’s cheek are all the unaided eye detects. Nicely struck in all areas. From a mintage of 27,578 examples of the date, with an unknown proportion of that mintage being the Small Letters variety of the date. Very rare above VF, extremely rare at AU or finer. Rarer than its Small Letters counterpart, itself considered a rarity.

PCGS Population: 2; 2 finer (MS-63 finest).

Minor repunching shows on the 8 and 4 in the date.

There is a distinct and unquestionable difference in letter size between the Small Letters and Large Letters varieties of the date. On the former, the letters are of a size reminiscent of that found on quarter dollars (or even dimes) of the era, while the letter size of the latter is perhaps twice as large, filling the appropriate spaces on the reverse in a much grander manner. Even without the benefit of side-by-side comparison, collectors should easily be able to distinguish between the two varieties; simply put, if the letters seem tiny, then it is the Small Letters variety. If they seem large, then it is the Large Letters variety.

From Stack’s sale of the Alto Collection, December 1970, Lot 156.

Another 1842 Large Letters $5

Large Letters Reverse

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907     1842 Breen-6537. Large Letters. AU-58 (PCGS). Bright yellow gold on the obverse, deeper orange-gold and violet on the reverse. A pair of violet toning spots is noted on the obverse, one at Liberty’s ear, the other in the lowest part of her hair bun. Nicely struck.

Minor repunching shows on the 8 and 4 in the date.

Elusive 1842 Half Eagle

Large Letters Reverse

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908     1842 Breen-6537. Large Letters. AU-53 (PCGS). Lustrous yellow gold with a touch of olive. The fields are largely prooflike. Well struck in all areas.

PCGS Population: 1; 3 finer (MS-63 finest).

Purchased from George Gozan, February 1967.

1842-C Half Eagle Rarity

Small Date, Small Letters

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909     1842-C Breen-6538. Small Date, Small Letters. VF-35 (PCGS). Medium golden orange with traces of lustre in the recessed areas. Considered to be the rarest of all Charlotte Mint half eagle issues. Indeed, save for the 1849-C Open Wreath gold dollar rarity, this may be the rarest Charlotte Mint issue of any denomination. Nearly always seen at VF or so, with pieces in higher grades quite difficult to obtain. A few stray marks are present, as might be expected for the grade, but none stand out in a singular manner. Pleasing for the grade, and certainly worthy of strong bidder attention.

The 1842-C is an important rarity in AU grade, incredibly so at the Mint State level, this being no more than a handful of such coins extant. Of all Charlotte Mint half eagles in the present sale, this is one of the most important.

Walter Breen attributes a mintage of 4,595 pieces to the 1842 Small Date variety and 23,589 to the Large Date variety, indicating that the ratio was approximately 1 to 4. This guesstimate apparently was off the mark, as data printed by Douglas Winter and David Akers, while indicating that the Small Date variety is scarcer, bring the differential closer together.

During this era date sizes were in flux at the Philadelphia Mint, and across certain denominations the years 1842-1846 are found with different-sized logotypes, not for all denominations and all years, but for enough of them that they make an interesting study.

Purchased from Dan Oakes, October 18, 1972.

Choice Uncirculated 1842-C $5

Finest Certified by PCGS


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910     1842-C Breen-6539. Large Date. MS-63 (PCGS). Lustrous medium gold with strong olive overtones. A satiny beauty from the Charlotte Mint. Nicely struck in all places. An important rarity in AU, much more so in Uncirculated. One of perhaps just five to 10 Mint State examples of the date reported, and our estimate may be a trifle high. Douglas Winter gives this date a High Rarity-7 rating in Uncirculated. One of the finest Charlotte Mint offerings in this sale.

PCGS Population: 1; none finer.

Walter Breen attributes a mintage of 23,589 to the Large Date variety, or over four times that of the Small Date. On the other hand, Douglas Winter estimates that 35 to 40 are known of the Small Date and 65 to 70 of the Large Date, obviously a different proportion. David Akers in his study of old-time auction sales found 21 appearances of the 1842-C Small Date and 63 of the 1842-C Large Date. During this era date sizes were in flux at the Philadelphia Mint, and across certain denominations the years 1842-1846 are found with different-sized logotypes, not for all denominations and all years, but for enough of them that they make an interesting study.

Purchased from World Wide Coin Investments, February 17, 1968.

Lustrous 1842-C Half Eagle

Large Date

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911     1842-C Breen-6539. Large Date. AU-55. Yellow gold surfaces display strong lustre, particularly in the recessed areas. A popular rarity from the Charlotte Mint; not so rare as its Small Date counterpart, but still a prize for the alert collector. Sharply struck in all areas. Some stray marks are noted, but the overall appearance is substantially pleasing.

From Stack’s sale of the Davis Collection, February 1968, Lot 278.

Choice 1842-D $5

Small Date, Small Letters

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912     1842-D Breen-6540. Small Date, Small Letters. AU-55 (PCGS). Orange-gold surfaces show generous amounts of lustre and reflectivity. Nicely struck. A rare date and variety in all grades, one that is typically seen in just VF or EF; in AU its rarity increases substantially.

In 1842 some 59,608 half eagles were struck at Dahlonega. Walter Breen theorizes that 37,917 were of the Small Date, Small Letters, and Small D Mintmark variety offered here, from a die pair shipped from Philadelphia on December 20, 1841, and received in Dahlonega 10 or so days later. The remaining pieces, with large letters and numerals, were minted to the extent of an estimated 21,691.

From Superior’s sale of February 1973, Lot 384.

Another Lustrous 1842-D $5

Small Date, Small Letters

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913     1842-D Breen-6540. Small Date, Small Letters. AU-50. Lustrous orange-gold surfaces. Nicely struck and quite appealing despite a scattering of tiny marks which only make their presence known under low magnification.

From Abe Kosoff’s sale of October 1968, Lot 846.

914     1842-D Breen-6540. Small Date, Small Letters. EF-45 (PCGS). Yellow gold with soft lustre and rose highlights on the high points. Some light scattered marks and tiny edge bumps are seen when viewed under low magnification. Still, a nice selection overall.

Purchased from George Gozan, February 1967.

Incredible 1842-O Half Eagle

Finest and Only PCGS Mint State

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915     1842-O Small Date, Small Letters. MS-61 (PCGS). Lustrous yellow gold with a blush of olive. Lightly frosted motifs and mirror fields form a modest cameo contrast. Some reverse striking weakness is seen at the top and bottom of the eagle, typical for this date. Considerably rarer, in all grades, than even its modest mintage of 16,400 pieces indicates; VF or lower is the typical fare where this date is concerned. This is the only Uncirculated example of the date certified by PCGS! An unsung rarity from the New Orleans facility.

The 1842-O, with a mintage of 16,400 is typically seen in VF condition, quite occasionally EF, and very occasionally AU. The present coin, the finest Harry Bass could locate in three decades of collecting, stands high and proud as the only Uncirculated 1842-O certified at any Mint State level by PCGS. An incredible coin and an incredible opportunity.

PCGS Population: 1; none finer.

Purchased from Rowe & Brownlee, February 1968.

Rare 1842-O Half Eagle

Another Incredible Coin

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916     1842-O Small Date, Small Letters. AU-50 (PCGS). Yellow gold with a touch of olive. A host of tiny surface ticks becomes apparent under low magnification, and some faint scratches are noted on the reverse between the eagle’s wing and AMER. At the AU-50 level the 1842-O is incredibly important and is quite rare. Despite some minor shortcomings, this piece will be highly prized by the advanced specialist who no doubt will become its next owner.

PCGS Population: 4; 3 finer (MS-61 finest).

Purchased from Stanley Kesselman, April 1967.