1806 Draped Bust Half Dollar. O-110, T-10. Rarity-6. Pointed 6, Stem Through Claw. AU-50 (PCGS).This richly toned coin represents a fleeting bidding opportunity for the advanced early half dollar variety collector. Both sides are bathed in warm charcoal gray patina, glints of lighter olive-gold evident here and there around the peripheral devices. Direct lighting calls forth playful undertones of pale gold, lilac-rose and cobalt blue that further enhance the eye appeal. The strike is generally well centered, the denticulation complete, if a bit light along the upper right obverse border. Significant softness is confined to the end of Libertys bust and the opposing area on the reverse (read: the clouds and stars below the word OF in the legend). Free of troublesome blemishes with a pleasingly smooth appearance in hand. Tompkins Die Stage 3/2.<p>Overton-110 is a rare die marriage of the 1806-dated half dollar issue. It represents the only use of this obverse die and the second of three uses of this reverse die. Several sizeable cracks suggest the early breakup of this obverse die and its retirement from production after relatively few coins were struck. The most prominent of these cracks are evident on the middle die state example offered here: from the border between stars 10 and 11 to Libertys mouth, the crack splitting inside the stars with an associated crack extending to Libertys nose. Ranked CC#3 in both the Tompkins (2015) and Herrman (Spring 2019) listings, this coin stands tall among the highlights of the extensive early half dollar offerings in this sale.Ex Dr. Gerald Schertz; Sheridan Downeys Mail Bid Sale #23, February 1999, lot 194; Heritages sale of the Westmoreland County Collection of Early Bust Halves, 1794-1807, January 2008 FUN Signature Coin Auction, lot 2858.
