Lot 282
1801 LM-2. NGC graded MS-61. Only 27,760 minted. A hint of light gold tone. The 1801 is an intriguing date among the early half dimes. Die cracks and breaks seem to appear and disappear, die marriages that seem to be different are actually the same, and high-quality examples are extremely rare. The V-1/2, LM-2 die pairing is attributed by the distant LIB with stars 1-3 close, while the reverse shows a leaf distant from the last A but joined to the center of the C. Valentine called this as both V-1 and V-2.
This is a fully lustrous Mint State beauty accented by light gold toning over silver-gray surfaces. The central details are sharp, but peripheral weakness is caused by obverse die breaks, curving up through the date and down through LIB. A dark lamination on the reverse is caused by inclusions in the planchet. Pop 3; 2 finer, 1 in 63, 1 in 67.
Historic Note for 1801: This year, in addition to a small coinage of Half Dimes, the Mint commenced striking half dollars again, which had not been coined since 1797, The 1801 issue was the first produced utilizing the Draped Bust obverse design with the Heraldic Eagle reverse that had already been introduced on the Dimes in 1798 and the Half Dimes in 1800. Also, the famous "Three Errors" 1801 large cent was produced, with the reverse having these blunders: UNITED appeared as IINITED, the fraction was a mathematically meaningless 1/000, and there was just one stem to the wreath instead of two stems.
Estimated Value $16,000 - 17,000.
|
| |
| Realized $17,038 |
