This thoroughly appealing 1799 half eagle displays swirls of light reddish-copper iridescence on bold olive-orange patina. Well defined within uniformly denticulated borders, the sharpest detail is evident throughout much of Libertys portrait on the obverse and within the eagles wing feathers on the reverse. With traces of the original finish shining forth nicely, this is a well balanced and attractive Choice AU early half eagle.While production of the half eagle dropped off markedly in 1799, estimates vary widely as to precisely how many were struck. The commonly reported number of 7,451 coins contrasts with the estimate of 10,000 to 15,000 pieces Bass and Dannreuther provide. The obverse die was only used for the BD-1 combination. The reverse die, on the other hand, was taken from a distinctive 1798 die made from a hub believed to have been cut by John Smith Gardner two years before that bears his signature elements of the long thin eagle neck, two rows of tail feathers, and the arrangement of the 13 stars in a symmetrical "star cross" pattern. Both dies eventually failed and were not used in any subsequent combination. Overall, the 1799 Small Stars half eagle is quite scarce with an estimated 175 surviving examples of all die pairings combined. The scarcity of the BD-1 pair is well known: Harry Bass possessed only two examples in his vast holdings of early gold. Mint State specimens are elusive and even Choice AU examples are seldom encountered. An impressive and desirable specimen that will appeal to any early gold enthusiast. ,,PCGS# 8081. NGC ID: 25NT.,,
