1834 Classic Head Half Eagle. HM-8. Rarity-4. Plain 4. AU-55 (PCGS).
Die Variety: HM-8. Obverse 3: Plain 4 in the date with a tall 1 and script 8. The letter E in LIBERTY is low, and star 13 is closer to the denticles than to Liberty's hair. The HM-3, HM-4 and HM-8 represent the three uses of this obverse die for the 1834 Classic Head half eagle issue. Reverse A: A tongue in the eagle's mouth and lack of a berry in the branch are enough to distinguish this die from the other reverses used for the 1834 Classic Head half eagle issue. The workhorse Reverse A struck a total of seven varieties in 11 pairings (including remarriages) among Classic Head half eagles dated 1834, 1835 and 1836. Die Emission Sequence: Representing the final use of the 1834 Obverse 3, HM-8 was struck after the HM-3 and HM-4 varieties of the date. Since all known examples display a later reverse die state than the shared die 1835 HM-4, HM-5, HM-6 and HM-8 varieties, the 1834 HM-8 was clearly struck during calendar year 1835. Die State: The HM-8 pairing saw the final break up of the 1834 Obverse 3, as evidenced by the sharp cracks on the present example from Liberty's eye down to the rear of the chin and from the border after star 13 into the hair below the letter Y in LIBERTY. A third, lighter crack bisects star 10 from the border to the back of Liberty's head. In this pairing, Reverse A shows the earliest signs of deterioration to the letter N in UNITED, which would eventually develop into a prominent die chip within the angle between the right upright and diagonal. Estimated Surviving Population for the Variety: 110 coins in all grades (per Daryl J. Haynor, 2020), or just 4% of extant 1834 Classic Head half eagles. Strike: Full definition throughout the reverse that even extends to the eagle's plumage along the left shield border point to an exceptionally strong strike for a first year Classic Head half eagle. The obverse is also sharply to fully struck, albeit with light rub to the highest point of Liberty's hair and forehead that confirms a short stint in active circulation for this Choice AU example. Surfaces: Vivid and lustrous olive-orange surfaces retain ample evidence of a frosty to semi-prooflike finish. Reflectivity is most pronounced in the protected areas around the design elements, and is best appreciated with direct lighting. Minimally marked for the assigned grade with plenty of eye appeal. Commentary: Similar in rarity to HM-2, HM-6 and even the highly regarded HM-9 Crosslet 4, HM-8 is one of the more underrated die marriages of this issue. It is actually scarcer than its Crosslet 4 counterpart, and with just 110 coins believed extant in all grades will require patience and perseverance to locate under normal market conditions. This is surely one of the nicest circulated survivors from these dies, a coin that would do equally well in an advanced type set or specialized variety set of Classic Head gold.
PCGS# 8171. NGC ID: 25RR.
From the Daryl J. Haynor Virginian Collection.