1803 50C Large 3 MS(PCGS#6066)

The March 2013 Baltimore Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

2063

Grade

MS62

Price

35,250

Lot Description

1803 Draped Bust Half Dollar. O-101. Rarity-3. Large 3. MS-62 (PCGS). Incredible collector quality for this die pairing as well as the date, with full mint luster in the fields combined with a bold strike that defined Liberty's hair culs with remarkable clarity. Matching sharpness on the reverse with strong definition on the eagle's feathers and legends. Bright silver throughout with a dash of pale gold near the rims. Clean surfaces for the grade, with no deep marks and just a few wispy lines and nicks from handling long ago. Only one finer example is known, that from the Eliasberg Collection and certified MS-63 (PCGS). The present coin is the second finest known of this variety, followed by a third Mint State example that we sold in our (Stack's) Hain-Americana Auction in January of 2002. One of the most desirable 1803 O-101 half dollars to cross the auction block and a welcome opportunity for the advanced variety or date specialist.