1800 Capped Bust Right Eagle. BD-1, Taraszka-23. Rarity-3+. MS-61 (PCGS). OGH.Impressive Mint State preservation for this popular, yet challenging gold design type from the earliest years of U.S. Mint coinage. Subtly prooflike, both sides reveal traces of reflectivity in the fields under a light. The finish is predominantly frosty, nonetheless, and the design elements are sharply to fully rendered in all but a few isolated peripheral areas. In fact, the only mentionable softness (and it is minor) involves stars 1, 2 and 12 on the obverse - the former area affected by some adjustment marks at upper left reverse that are so light one will need a loupe to identify them. Handsome and warm orange-honey color blankets both sides and enhances the visual appeal. BD Die State c/e.<p>Along with 1799 BD-7, 1799 BD-10 and 1801 BD-2, 1800 BD-1 is one of the most available early eagles in todays market, making it popular with gold type collectors. Most survivors, however, are well worn in grades from EF through low end AU, and many are also impaired due to cleaning or other mishandling. The present example, solidly in the Mint State category with attractive surfaces, represents a find for astute bidders.<p>The 1800 eagle is also popular with early gold variety enthusiasts due to the existence of a remarriage of the issues only known die pairing. The workhorse die of the 1799 BD-10 variety remained in use when the Mint changed to the 1800-dated obverse die. A number of 1800 eagles were struck (the 5,999 examples delivered November 18 to 25, 1800?) before Mint personnel replaced the obverse die yet again with that of the 1801 BD-1 marriage. That obverse die failed quickly, however, prompting the Mint to return the 1800-dated obverse to production. Based on the fact that most 1800 eagles extant are in some stage of Die State c/e with dentil clash on the reverse along the top of the letters STAT in STATES, as here, we believe that most 1800-dated eagles were struck in 1801 from the remarriage of these dies.PCGS# 8563. NGC ID: 2626.
