Lot 3363
1810 $5 Capped Draped Bust. Small date, large 5 BD-1, Rarity 3+. PCGS graded MS-63. A frosty mint example struck in natural greenish color gold, all delicately toned. There is a short double-mark below the cap. Also noted is a small X-shaped mark below the eagle's beak. This would make an excellent choice for the type collector as this date and variety are one of the more plentiful issues of the 1807-12 Capped Draped Bust Left half eagle period. The surfaces are outstanding for the grade, with all devices well defined overall including sharp stars and curls on the obverse, while on the reverse details are just as inviting including the centers, rather than a soft, mushy strike as sometimes seen in this area of the reverse. We note an added windfall of the rich mint frost seen on all surface areas. Die engraving varieties occur all the time in the early period of American coin design. These add greatly to the charm of half eagle collecting in particular, showing that despite the best efforts at mechanizing the coining process to thwart counterfeiters, the human element constantly appears even in government work such as the 1810 issue with its various date and denomination sizes. A lovely coin would certainly make a welcome addition to any advanced collection. Pop 8; 6 finer, 5 in 64, 1 in 65 (PCGS # 8106) .
On this variety, the 5 in the denomination is quite large, with the dentils having had to be foreshortened in order not to touch the long loop of this digit.
Estimated Value $17,000 - 18,000.
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