1797 Draped Bust Half Dollar. Small Eagle. O-102, T-2. Rarity-6-. 15 Stars. EF-45 (NGC).

An uncommonly well defined example of this particularly elusive die pairing for the rare Draped Bust, Small Eagle half dollar type of 1796 to 1797. Detail is impressively bold for the design, in fact, with Liberty's portrait, the wreath and much of the eagle's plumage crisp. Peripheral lettering is bold apart from minor softness to the CA in AMERICA, and the obverse stars are also bold with just a touch of bluntness at upper right. Lightly toned with hints of reddish-russet to otherwise dominant pewter gray, both sides are a bit muted in appearance, the texture also microscopically granular. Scattered blemishes include a few light scuffs and scrapes along the right obverse border and a couple of faint pin scratches in and around the central reverse. Several light adjustment marks along the lower reverse border are as made. Tompkins Die Stage 1/1. There are two die marriages known for the 1797-dated half dollar issue, both of which share the same obverse die. Overton-102, offered here, is attributable by having leaf points directly in line with the right foot of the second letter T in STATES and the left foot of the letter F in OF. It is rarer than the 1797 O-101 variety, and actually the rarest die marriage of the Draped Bust, Small Eagle half dollar type across both dates. In his excellent reference The Draped Bust Half Dollars of 1796-1797, Numismatic Background and Census (2012), the late Dr. Jon P. Amato traced just 35 specimens of the 1797 O-102 variety. A few additional specimens have been confirmed since, including the coin offered here. While not a perfect example at the Choice EF grade level, it offers uncommonly bold detail, as above, and is sure to find many willing buyers in today's highly competitive numismatic market. Amato-Unlisted.

PCGS# 6060. NGC ID: 24EC.