Lot 1438
1807 $5 Bust. Bust L PCGS MS64. PCGS graded MS-64 PQ. CAC Approved. Boldly struck with reflective fields. Looks like a special strike as Liberty's curls are so well formed and the eagle's feathers are each fully struck. Notice too, the stars and lettering, each appears chisled into the coin by the immense force of the strike. This is the first year of issue of the new mint Engraver John Reich design, with Liberty facing left and sporting a soft cap on her head with LIBERTY inscribed on her headband. The obverse includes the date below, and thirteen stars surrounding the central device of Liberty. For the reverse design the legend encircles a proud standing eagle, with wings outstretched. Below the eagle is the denomination, expressed simply as 5 D. Above the eagle is the Motto E PLURIBUS UNUM on a raised ribbon. Reich the engranver was proud of his work, he had been hired by the Philadelphia Mint to improve the coinage designs. His first task were the two main backbones of coinage in commerce, the $5 gold piece and the 50 cent piece. He notably "signed" his dies by placing a small but deliberate "notch" in the outer point of the last star right of the date. In later years after Reich left the mint, his "notched" star sometimes appears again, but usually on all of the stars punched into the obverse die. These designe are both simple and elegant. Precious few of these survived at all, let alone in uncirculated grades, finding this first year of issue in near gem condition is quite remarkable! Pop 22; 7 finer, 1 in 64+, 4 in 65, 1 in 67, and 1 in 67+ (PCGS # 8101) Estimated Value $40,000 - 45,000
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| Realized $45,825 |
