1800 Capped Bust Right Eagle. BD-1, Taraszka-23, the only known dies. Rarity-3+. MS-63 (PCGS). CAC.Type and Style: Type II: Capped Bust Right, Heraldic Eagle. Style VII: Head of 1795 with 13 large stars arranged eight left, five right; Reverse of 1799 with 13 small stars in the field below the clouds and a short, thick neck on the eagle. The head and eagle punches are attributed to hubs prepared by Robert Scot.Die Variety: BD-1, Taraszka-23, Breen 1-A, HBCC-3192. This variety represents the only use of this obverse die and the second of three uses of this reverse die. Star 7 on the obverse is dramatically repunched, the letter L in LIBERTY is very close to the top of the cap, and star 9 is very close to the letter Y. On the reverse, the tip of a leaf in the olive branch is joined to the right foot of the letter I in AMERICA and the lowest berry in the branch is under the right foot of the final letter A.Die State: BD Die State c/e. This is the latest die state of this issue known to Dannreuther, although we are aware of at least two different sub-states (see below in our offering of a second 1800 eagle). The obverse is cracked through the top of the letters in the word LIBERTY, with considerable crumbling between several of the letters. The crack splits into two at the right top of the letter B, and branches from the main crack extend to the border between the letters LI and BE. The main crack extends faintly to the left of the L, where it joins a nearly vertical crack that extends from the border through Libertys cap into the hair behind the ear. The reverse exhibits dentil clash along the top of the letters STAT in STATES, damage that occurred during this dies use in the 1801 BD-1 pairing. The clash marks are faint in Die State e due to lapping of the die during its remarriage with the 1800-dated obverse. A die crack originates in the field below the letter R in AMERICA and extends through the leaves below the letters ICA, the eagles left talon, the tip of the stem and the eagles tail to the border below the arrow butts. A second crack goes from the tail through the arrow butts and arrows to the letter U in UNITED, a third crack extends through the bottom of the letters UNI, and a fourth and final crack originates from the border above the first letter A in AMERICA and extends along the top of the letters ME.Estimated Mintage for the Issue: Most numismatic references provide a mintage of 5,999 pieces for this issue, which is based on Walter Breens assumption that the only 1800-dated eagles produced were those delivered from November 18 to 25 of that year (5,999 coins). Dannreuther provides a much broader range of 5,999 to 12,500 pieces produced in deference to the fact that many, if not most 1800 eagles were struck from a remarriage of these dies after the Mints delivery of the 1801 BD-1 variety. As such, many 1800 eagles were almost certainly struck during calendar year 1801.Estimated Mintage for the Variety: Since there is only a single die variety known for the 1800 eagle, the estimated mintage for the variety is the same as that for the issue.Estimated Surviving Population for the Variety: Two hundred to 300 coins are believed extant in all grades (per Dannreuther).Strike: The strike is bold with many of Libertys hair strands and most of the eagles feathers fully delineated. The borders are uniformly denticulated around both sides, although the left and right obverse peripheries are a bit softly defined due to the presence of faint adjustment marks (as made) in those areas. Stars 1 to 5 and 10 to 12 are also a bit soft, as are the eagles wing tips, right talon and the cloud below the letter O in OF on the reverse.Surfaces: Richly original, deep olive-orange surfaces exhibit splashes of rose-russet iridescence around the word LIBERTY on the obverse and on the reverse at and around the eagles left talon. Soft satin luster is seen throughout, with only small, wispy handling marks that are largely confined to the obverse. A few tiny nicks along the base of the bust above the digits 00 in the date should serve as useful identifying features.Commentary: 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 advanced gold type collectors. Most survivors, however, are circulated to one degree or another, and many are also impaired due to cleaning or other mishandling. The present example, fully Choice Mint State with wonderfully original surfaces, represents a find for astute bidders.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, we believe that most 1800-dated eagles were struck in 1801 from the remarriage of these dies.Both of the 1800 eagles in the Taraszka Collection are in Die State c/e, although of the three examples of this date owned by Harry W. Bass, Jr., two were early die states struck before the 1801 BD-1 variety.From the Anthony J. Taraszka Collection. Acquired from Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries at the Detroit ANA Convention, August 1994. The plate coin for the die variety in the book United States Ten Dollar Gold Eagles: 1795-1804 by Anthony J. Taraszka.
