1799 Eagle

HBCC#:

3182

Breen#:

6839

BD#:

1

Judd#:

26

Pollock#:

n/a

This coinage date provides the largest selection of die varieties among early eagles. From 1795 to 1804, a total of 34 die marriages are known, with ten of these dated 1799. Walter Breen authored a monograph covering varieties of this issue, published in the late 1960s and based on preliminary work by collectors earlier in the 1900s. This die marriage, acquired by Harry Bass from a Lester Merkin sale in 1972, was the only variety not known to Breen when his monograph was published. Since that time a second example has been uncovered.

Provenance:

From Lester Merkin's sale of February 1972, Lot 433.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Commentary:

"Obverse: Small stars, wide date, numerals spaced 1 7 9 9. Star 8 presents two points to cap, almost equidistant. Star 12 markedly double cut counterclockwise (distinctive). Point of star 9 touches Y under serif. Crack edge - star 8 - into field paralleling back of cap. Another, edge - upright of L - cap - face behind eye. New obverse. Reverse: Berry centered under A. Leaf point touches I at center of base. A(M) clear of left wing feathers (distinctive). Rust lump between UN, top opening of N. Rust-like crack within C, skips to left side of A, thru A, talon, stem end, tail feathers. Another, faint, edge between O F, thru O, second cloud from right."