1802/'1' $2.50 BD-2 MS(PCGS#45507)

1802/'1' $2.50 BD-2 MS (PCGS#45507)

Treasures from the S.S. New York

Lot Description: 1802 BD-2. Rarity-5+. AU-55 (PCGS). Bright yellow gold with plenty of retained lustre, especially in the protected areas. Somewhat prooflike in the fields. Lightly scattered marks and hairlines can be seen, chiefly under low magnification. A rare variety; the Bass-Dannreuther reference on early U.S. gold notes that just 32 to 35 examples of this variety are known in all grades. A further look at that reference makes an interesting note about the reverse die: "The reverse used on this variety, however, was a workhorse, not only being used for the very rare variety of 1804 quarter eagle with 13 star reverse (BD-1), but also for JR-4 1802 and JR-1 1804 dimes!" Long called an "overdate" but now considered struck from a die with an anomaly at the 2 in the date.