1799 Capped Bust Right Eagle. BD-6, Taraszka-18. Rarity-5. Small Obverse Stars. MS-62 (PCGS).This is a warm and attractive example of this rare early eagle variety. Evenly toned in deep honey-orange, the surfaces also reveal subtle undertones of vivid pinkish-rose under a light. The texture is satiny and quite smooth, both for the type and the assigned grade, allowing appreciation of the sharply executed strike. BD Die State d/a.This variety represents the third of three uses for the obverse die and the first of two for the reverse die. After an unknown injury felled the reverse die of the BD-5 variety, this obverse was paired with the current reverse to contribute approximately 1,500 to 2,000 examples to the total mintage of 37,449 pieces for the 1799 eagle. The obverse came into this new marriage already cracked, however, the break from the rim, through star 8 to Libertys cap eventually forcing its retirement and explaining the limited number of coins struck from this pairing. Writing in the 2006 reference <em>Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, A Study of Die States: 1795-1834</em>, John W. Dannreuther accounts for just 35 to 45 examples extant in all grades. Perhaps surprisingly, BD-6 is one of the more plentiful varieties of the issue after the typically encountered BD-7 and BD-10, confirming the awesome rarity of pre-1834 U.S. gold coinage as a group. A find for Mint State type collectors and early eagle variety specialists alike, we anticipate keen bidder interest in this significant rarity.
