Lot 2110
1802/1 $2.50 Capped Bust. NGC graded MS-63. In NGC holder 1951305-017. Some faint hairlines scattered about, free from adjustment marks. Bright yellow gold with excellent frost from center to periphery. The fields are reflective of an even higher grade perhaps, with aesthetic beauty far surpassing an "average" mint quality early capped bust right quarter eagle. It could be as few as 100 examples of this date survive today. Marginally weak at the centers as almost always seen. This weakness of strike is especially noted on the hair details around Liberty's ear on the obverse, and on the horizontal shield lines, as well as the eagle's neck and head on the reverse. An extremely difficult variety to locate in high grade. Earlier collectors, those of the "big name" sales out of the past, for instance, were often unable to locate any examples better than Extremely Fine or About Uncirculated. As a note for the die variety specialist, the reverse die of this variety was also used to strike dimes (and other interrelationships between dime and quarter eagle dies could be mentioned). Pop 14; 3 in 64; 2 in 65. (PCGS # 7650) .
The 1802 date has been customarily referred to as an overdate, yet no examples are seen that display a convincing "1" underdigit. Modern numismatists now regard the final digit as merely repunched. Bust right quarter eagles are a rare type, though not as difficult as the 1796 No Stars or the 1808 capped bust left, they pose a difficult "right of passage" for any specialist in the series attempting to complete a date and variety set in choice grade, since only the final year 1807 had a mintage can be considered plentiful by any stretch of the imagination.
Estimated Value $50,000 - 60,000.
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| Realized $63,250 |
