1839
Half Eagle - 1865 Half Eagle: Set of Two Half Eagles
The
numismatic adventure can be enriched by acquiring groups of
coins in meaningful combinations. Sets of coins can run from
two pieces to many. In the areas of rare date and early silver
and gold coins we have established certain sets of special
interest. They include the first and last of an issue, type
sets, design sets, year sets, and those that are joined by
historical events such as the Civil War. The coins of each
set are specially selected for you and your collecting needs.
We are specialists in this
area and will expertly and confidentially help you assemble
a set similar to the one you see below, which is made up of
pieces from the US Rare Coin Investments’ archives.
We will cherry pick through millions of dollars of rare coins
selecting only the finest quality pieces for your collection.
A Set of First and
Last Half Eagles, Liberty Head Type 1, 1839 to 1865
In 1839, the half eagle
was changed to a design by Christian Gobrecht known as the
Liberty Head or Coronet or Braided Hair half type. The first
incarnation without a motto is known as the Liberty Head,
No Motto variety or Liberty Head Type 1. For the first year,
the branch mint coins had the mintmark on the obverse between
the truncation and the date. All subsequent issues had the
mintmark on the reverse between the eagle and the denomination.
The new Liberty Head obverse design lasted for 70 years,
bringing stability to the denomination. The reverse design
remained mainly unchanged except for the addition of the
motto to create Type 2.
Gobrecht’s design
shows a left facing profile of Liberty wearing a LIBERTY
inscribed coronet. Her hair is tied in the back and there
are two loose curls that hang down her neck. Around the
head are thirteen six-pointed stars, and the date is below
the truncation. At the periphery of the coin are dentils.
The coin also has a reeded edge. The reverse shows a heraldic
eagle similar to the one on the Classic Head half eagle
except that the eagle is smaller and its neck is not bent
so aggressively. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
surrounds the eagle, except for its wing tips, in an arc.
The denomination is below, separated with dots, and written
as FIVE D.
1839
Half Eagle - The vast majority of
1839 half eagles are well worn. Usually the coin is
seen in VF to XF condition. It is scarce in AU and
rare in higher Mint State grades.
This 1839 half eagle shows light obverse
toning with a mixture of greens, red, and orange flecks.
The bottom right field is darker than the top. The
reverse continues the same mixture of colors with
lighter toning on the upper third. Some mint luster
shows at the top of Liberty’s head and at her
hair under the coronet.
The reverse shows luster especially
on the eagle’s feathers. There are several contact
marks on Liberty’s cheek, jaw, and neck as well
as the upper right field. The reverse shows some slight
die clash marks as well as two scratches, one above
the eagle’s right wing and one above the olive
branch. There is a small amount of wear on the highest
points of the design, which probably accounts for
the circulated grade.
1865-S
Half Eagle - The last year of issue,
1865, except for the 1866-S No Motto, saw a tiny mintage
at Philadelphia of only 1,270 and a higher mintage
at San Francisco of 27,612. It is interesting to note
that the 1866-S No Motto issue is an anomaly because
it was supposed to be replaced by the With Motto issue;
however, the dies did not arrive on time and 9,000
were minted in San Francisco. The 1865-S No Motto
coin is rare in all conditions. Most seen are in well
worn condition. Were it not for coins recovered from
the wreck of the SS Brother Jonathan, almost none
would be known in Mint State.
The present piece, an 1865-S half
eagle, is one of the few uncirculated pieces that
are available. Booming luster, so hard to find on
this issue, can be seen on both sides. While some
marks, consistent with the grades are found on both
sides, this is not surprising given the tough time
many of these coins had. They were often traded between
banks, in loose bags, causing many of these contact
marks. Light sun-yellow color is visible on both sides,
and the coin is very pleasing in hand.
