Lot 126
126
GEM PROOFLIKE 1838 HALF-EAGLE SPECIMEN OR PRESENTATION STRIKING
Half-Eagle, 1838, small arrows, large 5, TES of STATES widely spaced (Breen, Encyclopedia, 6515, Akers, page 90), a few light marks and "copper spots," otherwise choice uncirculated, sharply struck and with superb prooflike cameo contrast between frosty devices and deeply mirrorlike fields

Details
Half-Eagle, 1838, small arrows, large 5, TES of STATES widely spaced (Breen, Encyclopedia, 6515, Akers, page 90), a few light marks and "copper spots," otherwise choice uncirculated, sharply struck and with superb prooflike cameo contrast between frosty devices and deeply mirrorlike fields

Lot Essay

Both David Akers and Walter Breen believed this coin to be the sole Proof of the date. Certainly the coin has many of the properties of a Proof but the somewhat rounded rims of this piece have led to our description of the coin as a prooflike specimen. In any case, this superb piece is clearly one of the first struck from the newly polished dies, quite possibly for presentation purposes. (Encapsulated and graded "Specimen MS65" by NGC).