1807 Capped Bust Left Half Eagle. BD-8. Rarity-2. MS-62 (PCGS).

Sharply struck with soft satin luster, this lovely Mint State half eagle is a particularly nice representative of a popular first-year issue in the early gold series. bathed in rich honey-orange color with a tinge of pale olive, the surfaces are remarkably smooth for the assigned grade. In fact, we note only minimal signs of numismatic handling and related muting of the luster precluding a Choice Mint State rating. Highly attractive. BD Die State c/a. The year 1807 was one of transition for the early United States Mint, with John Reich's Capped Bust Left design selected for its first use on the half eagles and half dollars. Reich produced some of the most beloved of all American coins but in 1817 he resigned and retired to Albany, New York. His secret mark, a notched 13th star on the obverse, was used on all dies he cut. An estimated 50,000 of Reich's new half eagles were struck, from only two die pairs. The BD-8 marriage, by far the more available of these two die marriages, is differentiated by the letter O in OF centered above the letter U in UNUM on the ribbon, along with close spacing between the letter U in UNITED and the adjacent leaf. Popular with both early gold specialists and type collectors, attractive Mint State examples of this variety are long on desirability and short on supply. Expect lively bidding.

PCGS# 8101. NGC ID: CKLH.