1802 Draped Bust Half Dollar. O-101, T-1. Rarity-3. AU-53 (PCGS).A patina of soft lavender-gray shades blankets both sides, revealing areas of gold and steel-blue iridescence around the devices. The surfaces are gently worn and overall smooth, with traces of original luster in the protected areas. A minor mark in the field before Libertys nose has been helpful in tracing this piece through past sales. Just one pair of dies was employed to strike the entire 1802 issue, recycling the reverse die from the 1801 O-102 variety. With approximately 29,890 coins struck, this issue has the lowest mintage of the Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle half dollar type and is a key date along with the 1801. The Condition Census is topped by two Mint State examples, including the PCGS MS-62 Pogue specimen, followed by a half dozen pieces down through the lower AU grades including the present piece.This coin has long been recognized as a significant example of the issue, and is traceable back over 130 years to W. Elliot Woodwards sale of the J. Colvin Randall Collection in September 1885. Impressively enough, Randall owned two high grade 1802 halves, and his Mint State example was sold by Woodward in a sale three months earlier. The present specimen was then acquired by T. Harrison Garrett and it would go on to reside in the Garrett Collection for over 90 years until our sale of the legendary cabinet in November 1979. We have since handled this incredible piece several times in the four decades following the Garrett sales, with the most notable appearance being our (Bowers and Merenas) January 1996 sale of the Pryor Collection. While the superior preservation of this example is sure to delight even a seasoned half dollar specialists, a provenance to the revered collections of Randall, Garrett and Pryor speaks volumes in emphasizing this as a true treasure within U.S. numismatics.Ex W. Elliot Woodwards sale of the J. Colvin Randall Collection, September 1885, lot 463; T. Harrison Garrett; our (Bowers and Ruddy Galleries) sale of the Garrett Collection, Part I, November 1979, lot 278; our (Bowers and Merenas) sale of the James Bennett Pryor Collection, January 1996, lot 5; our (Bowers and Merenas) sale of the Douglas L. Noblet Collection, January 1999 Rarities Sale, lot 8; Heritages sale of the Richard Genaitis Collection, August 2001, lot 6095; our (American Numismatic Rarities) sale of the JB Worthington Collection, May 2005, lot 271; our (Stacks) sale of the J.A. Sherman Collection, August 2007, lot 613; Heritages sale of August 2010, lot 3139; Ira and Larry Goldbergs sale of January 2011, lot 1416; Heritages sale of the Merrill Collection, February 2018, lot 3862; our Baltimore Auction of October 2018, lot 2078; our Baltimore Auction of May 2019, lot 1064.
