1800 1/2C, BN MS(PCGS#1051)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

2021

Grade

MS63BN

Price

5,040

Lot Description

Manley Die State 4.0. Hard, frosty surfaces retain faint traces of faded mint orange color, but are predominantly toned in warm golden-brown and steely-copper. Well struck for the die state, portions of the border denticulation are indistinct, the end of Liberty's bust a tad soft, but otherwise we note bold to sharp detail throughout the design. A few marks at right obverse and scattered carbon on both sides explain the MS-63 grade from PCGS, but none of these features are overly distracting in-hand.<p>Due to its status as the first issue in the Draped Bust half cent series, the 1800 is a perennial favorite among type collectors as well as early copper enthusiasts. Guided by models prepared by Philadelphia artist John Eckstein (not famed portraitist Gilbert Stuart, per "traditional numismatic wisdom"), Engraver Robert Scot prepared the device punch for the new Draped Bust half cent sometime between late 1798 and the spring of 1800. The first dies followed, a single obverse and reverse pairing used to deliver the entire 1800-dated mintage. The copper was almost exclusively from Welsh mines, the metal made into planchets by the Birmingham-based firm of Boulton & Watt. A limited number of 1800 half cents are known struck on spoiled large cents, in the same manner as the final 1797-dated Liberty Cap coins of the C-3a, 3b and 3c varieties; those are attributed as Breen-1a.<p>Mint State survivors are plentiful by the standards of the type thanks to the discovery of two significant hoards during the early 20th century. The first surfaced in New England prior to 1910, while the second came out of Boston during the 1930s. Thanks to these finds, the acquisition of a Select or Choice Uncirculated 1800 half cent in the certified BN category is a realistic goal for many numismatists, especially type collectors with a focus on first-year issues.