1804 Half Eagle

HBCC#:

3083

Breen#:

6442

BD#:

7

Judd#:

n/a

Pollock#:

n/a

The Bass Collection of early half eagles includes seven different 1804 die marriages, combining four obverse dies and four reverse dies. In his 1966 monograph, Walter Breen described the same number of varieties, but described these from three obverse and six reverse dies! When Robert W. Miller, Sr., published his reference in 1997, he described nine varieties combining four obverse dies with six reverse dies. The seven varieties in the Bass Collection represent all varieties likely known. This is Breen’s obverse 1, also seen at HBCC-3084 and 3085. Reverse A only exists with this obverse.

Provenance:

From Stack's sale of the Miles Collection, October 1968, Lot 335.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Commentary:

"Obverse: Small 8 punched over a large 8. Perfect 1 punched north over first 1, with top left serif touching lowest hair lock. 0 repunched north. Medium sized 4 not repunched; its top touching drapery. Clashed. Possibly lapped. Reverse: I(T) repunched slightly lower. Top innermost berry joined to berry below and leaf above by short spine. All cracks are very faint: edge - left upright of U - arrows - right leg - shield - left wing - top feather - edge; breast - middle shield point; edge - (M)E - field Clashed."