1873 Half Eagle

HBCC#:

6111

Breen#:

n/a

BD#:

n/a

Judd#:

1338

Pollock#:

1482

A revised version of the 1872 Amazonian patterns is this design with a head of Liberty wearing a coronet instead of a cap and facing to the right. The reverse is identical to the 1872 half eagle design, and is in fact the same reverse die. The small polished area at the upper right corner of the shield and the very thin ribbon end just to the right of the shield identify this as the same die displayed at HBCC-6105. This is an extremely rare pattern design, with only two known in gold, five in copper – including this gilded example and three others in aluminum.

Provenance:

From Barney Bluestone's 72nd sale, October 1942, Lot 797; New Netherlands 61st sale, June 1970, Lot 52.

Obverse:

Head of Liberty to right, some hair tied back, other tresses flowing, coronet in hair, LIBERTY on coronet, 13 stars around, date below bust.

Reverse:

Eagle with spread wings standing at center, left talons on shield, ribbon on shield reads IN GOD WE TRUST, three arrows in right talons, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around, FIVE DOL. below.

Commentary: