1803 $10 BD-2 MS(PCGS#45736)

Summer 2025 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

3207

Grade

AU53

Price

34,800

Lot Description

This is a boldly to sharply defined 1803 eagle, with light high point rub commensurate with the assigned grade. The impression is nicely centered on both sides, and the borders are fully and uniformly dentillated. Handsome deep honey-orange patina on both sides confirms the originality of this piece, with vivid reddish-rose highlights also evident. Ample satin to modestly semi-prooflike finish remains, especially in the protected areas around the devices. We note only wispy handling marks, none of which are significant for the assigned grade. For provenance purposes there are three tiny nicks in the upper left obverse field between the back of Liberty's cap and stars 7 and 8. BD Die State a/b.<p>This variety vies with BD-6 as the rarest of the 1803-dated issue. With so few examples confirmed, and given that this die is unknown in any other pairing, the reverse must have failed early in the press run. If terminal die state coins were struck, they must have been lost through the mass meltings that claimed most pre-1834 U.S. Mint gold coins. In addition to its rarity, the 1803 BD-2 variety is significant as the only one in the early eagle series with 130 reeds around the edge. This fact was reported by Anthony J. Taraszka in his early eagle reference and expounded upon by Dannreuther in 2006: "As noted by eagle researcher Anthony Taraszka, this is the only early eagle that has 130 reeds, indicating that the segmented collar used for this variety also likely failed."<p>Among the rarest and most significant offerings in the fabulous Chicago Collection, this may be one of only a few opportunities in a lifetime for the advanced early eagle variety specialist to acquire an 1803 BD-2 eagle. When the Taraszka early eagle reference was published, the author knew of only four examples of this variety:<p>1 - <strong>PCGS MS-63.</strong> Ex Pine Tree's Breen II Sale, June 1975, lot 212; Stanley I. Kesselman, July 30, 1975; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; Heritage's sale of the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Core Collection, Part III, May 2023 CSNS Signature Auction, lot 4579.<p><p>2 - <strong>Mint State.</strong> Ex New Netherlands' 54th Sale, April 1960, lot 689; Dr. James O. Sloss Collection.<p><p>3 - <strong>P</strong><strong>CGS AU-53. CAC.</strong> Ex our (Bowers and Merena's) Rarities Sale of August 1998, lot 349; Anthony J. Taraszka; our sale of the Anthony J. Taraszka Collection, August 2019 ANA Auction, lot 4035; our sale of the Harvey B. Jacobson Jr. Collection, Spring 2023 Auction, March, lot 3237; the Chicago Collection. <em><strong>The present example</strong></em>.<p>4 - <strong>PCGS AU-58.</strong> Ex our (Stack's) sale of the Nicholson Family Collection, June 1967, lot 196; Heritage's Long Beach Signature Auction of October 2022, lot 3243.<p>Since publication of the Taraszka reference, we are aware of positive confirmation for only three other 1803 BD-2 eagles:<p>5 - <strong>NGC AU-58.</strong> Ex Superior Galleries, privately, 2004; Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr,; our sale of the Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr. Collection, Winter 2022 Auction, November, lot 4027.<p>6 - <strong>PCGS AU-50.</strong> Ex our Winter 2022 Auction, November, lot 5096.<p>7 - <strong>NGC AU-50.</strong> Ex Heritage's FUN Signature Sale of January 2001, lot 8264 (as PCGS EF-40); our sale of the Brandywine Collection, November 2011, lot 9672; Tyrant Collection.