1803/2 $5 Gold Draped Bust Half Eagle PCGS AU 58 RH - $17,500 - (Princeton, NJ)

The $5 gold denomination, or the half eagle, was the first gold coin struck for the United States of America. The initial series would come to be known as the Draped Bust Half Eagles, with the design sometimes referred to as “Turban Head” or “Capped Bust to Right”. Delivery of the first coins would take place on July 31, 1795, with the series continuing until 1807 in two different subtypes. All coins of the series had low mintages and heavy melting would take its toll. Locating problem-free examples with original surfaces and excellent eye-appeal can be difficult even for the most available dates.The acquisition of a single circulated example represents a reasonable goal for most advanced type collectors. Building a full date and Red Book variety set, however, is much more difficult and might take a lifetime to complete. In fact, acquisition of all die varieties is currently impossible, as two major varieties are unique and permanently reside within the Smithsonian Institution’s National Numismatic Collection.All Draped Bust Half Eagles were struck from a composition of gold, silver and copper. Per the Mint Act of 1792, these should consist of .9167 gold and .0833 silver and copper, with the latter in various proportions. They have a diameter of 25 mm, although some variety is seen on these handmade planchets.The given weight for each coin is 8.75 grams or 135 grains, although some variation is possible. Adjustment marks, to modify the weight of the planchet before striking are frequently found, especially on the earlier issues, but do not have an influence on the grade. Striking quality varies, but virtually every known example will display at least some weakness in the centers.As the composition of the planchets varied from delivery to delivery, various toning is possible, but most will fall between orange-yellow and green-gold. Original examples are rare, and should be considered to be of premium quality, when they still have their original surfaces.…

Posted in Princeton, NJ, Collectibles
From ebay.com - 1 month ago