Half-Eagle, 1797, sixteen stars obverse, small eagle reverse, two berries, one within wreath, one outside wreath, obverse and reverse designed by Robert Scot (Breen, Encyclopedia, 6420), minor marks, almost uncirculated, yellow gold surfaces, only a few dozen examples of this type with sixteen obverse stars are known in all grades, an extremely rare reverse die variety

1797 SMALL EAGLE HALF-EAGLE SIXTEEN STARS OBVERSE

Details

Half-Eagle, 1797, sixteen stars obverse, small eagle reverse, two berries, one within wreath, one outside wreath, obverse and reverse designed by Robert Scot (Breen, Encyclopedia, 6420), minor marks, almost uncirculated, yellow gold surfaces, only a few dozen examples of this type with sixteen obverse stars are known in all grades, an extremely rare reverse die variety

Lot Essay

In his Encyclopedia (page 514), Walter Breen noted, "on the other variety, the right berry is inside the branch; this was originally known only in a defaced copper striking ex Woodside, Brand, New Netherlands 41, Rothert: 1266, Pine Tree Auctions. Robert Hilt discovered the unique (?) gold impression in 1972". The specimen offered here may be just the second example with this unusual wreath and berry arrangement.