1813 $5 MS(PCGS#8116)

December 2025 Showcase Auction - The James A. Stack, Sr. Collection Part I

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

22191

Grade

MS61

Price

19,200

Lot Description

BD Die State b/b. Attractive in all regards, both sides of this half eagle exhibit softly frosted luster, vivid and deep orange-honey color, and an overall sharp strike. Advanced gold type collectors and early half eagle enthusiasts are sure to flock to this pleasing Mint State example.<p>As a series, the Capped Head Left half eagles struck from 1813 to 1834 are among the most challenging in all U.S. numismatics. Most examples are from the first year, 1813, and they may have been set aside by the contemporary public due to the novelty of the design. Most other issues and varieties are rare, if not non-collectable, since rising gold prices resulted in the wholesale destruction of pre-1834 U.S. gold coins through the mid 1830s. The present example represents the BD-1 die pairing, identifiable by the reverse die, since both varieties share the same obverse. For BD-1, the first letter S in STATES is over the right side of the letter E in the Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM.