1865 Half Eagle

HBCC#:

6058

Breen#:

n/a

BD#:

n/a

Judd#:

446

Pollock#:

518

This coin is an extremely important transitional half eagle pattern struck in copper. According to Walter Breen, this obverse is the same as that used to coin regular issue Proof half eagles of 1865. Bass Collection coins numbered 6058 (the present coin), 6059, and 6060 form a three coin set of the 1865 transitional gold coins in copper. All three were acquired together from the New Netherlands Coin Company auction sale of June 1970. In that catalogue, the New Netherlands firm noted just five sets were sold by the Mint, with one of these gilt. More than that number are known today.

Provenance:

From New Netherlands' 61st Auction Sale, June 30, 1970, Lot 18, apparently via Julian Leidman.

Obverse:

Regular-issue die of the date.

Reverse:

Very similar to the regular-issue die of the date, but with IN GOD WE TRUST on a ribbon above the eagle.

Commentary:

"Paid Leidman 5%??"