An 1836 Proof-Like Half Eagle

[BillJones]

Physics Fan inspired me to post this piece. It is graded MS-61 because there is a slight rub in the left obverse field, but the P-L surfaces remains. This is one of those "what might have been coins." If only it had not picked up the slight rub, perhaps from sitting on a velvet pad in a coin cabinet.

Another view of the same coin.

[numisport]

Bill your Classic Half Eagles are very appealing to me and I can say that since joining this forum my interests have expanded to include type coins as well. Are those your images ? Well done.

[BillJones]

Yes, they are my images, and my images make every mark look bigger than it is in person. Both of the pieces I posted here recently, the 1834, Crosslet 4 and this 1836 are more appealing in person.

As for opening your horizons, that's great! I remember when I realized that there were affordable types before the 12 piece gold type set that I worked to finish while I was in high school. Gimbels had a couple of Classic Head $5 coins in their inventory. They were not nice with some big scraches, but they opened up a new world for me. I didn't get a Classic Head type coin until I was in college. I still have the 1836 -script 8 $2.50 that I bought back then. The dealer called it "virtually Unc." Today it is in a PCGS MS-62 holder.

I have now completed the $5 gold Classic set by "Red Book" variety. I still have three of the $2.50 coins left which have proven to be far harder to find that I imagined they would be.

[RWB]

Nice detail on the $5 !

 

[BillJones]

Thanks RWB. That $5 dollar is a really sharp strike for the type. I am guessing that this one of the early strikes from a new set of dies.

[Matt_dac]

Stunning as usual Bill.

I'm working on the same series with two more to go. Some nice history there.

[ldhair]

Pretty coins. 

[physics-fan3.14]

Fantastic coin, Bill! This series comes in PL sometimes, but prices are generally beyond my budget. 

[BillJones]

On ‎4‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 11:33 PM, Matt_dac said:

Stunning as usual Bill.

I'm working on the same series with two more to go. Some nice history there.

I recently bought an 1837 $5 gold at auction. That completes the set for me.

I am still looking for three of the Classic Head Quarter Eagles. I never dreamed that finishing that set would be so dificult, but it is, even after you get the 1838-C and 1839-D. Almost of all of the higher grade 1839-C coins I have seen have been ruined by coin doctors and the ones that have not were in VF-EF.