1797 Draped Bust Half Dollar. Small Eagle. O-102, T-2. Rarity-5+. 15 Stars. VF Details--Filed Rims (PCGS).Blundered Edge Lettering: stars between letters LLAR in DOLLAR. A relatively pleasing mid grade example of this brief and challenging design type in the early half dollar series. Both sides are boldly defined in most areas, softness of detail confined to the upper right obverse and lower right reverse borders, the letters ICA in AMERICA particularly faint, yet still readily evident. The strike is well centered on the planchet, border denticulation generally sharp and most of Libertys hair strands and the eagles wing feathers crisp. Glossy in texture with muted pewter gray patina from a cleaning, the PCGS qualifier concerns filing along the obverse border from 12 to 3 oclock that has effaced the denticulation in that area. Tompkins Die Stage 1/1.<p>There are two die marriages known for the 1797-dated half dollar issue, both of which share the same obverse die. Overton-102, offered here, is attributable by having leaf points directly in line with the right foot of the second letter T in STATES and the left foot of the letter F in OF. According to Steve M. Tompkins (2015), the total mintage for half dollars of this date is approximately 1,984 coins, all of which were delivered as part of Warrant 90 on May 26, 1797. This warrant included an additional 1,000 half dollars that the author believes were struck from 1796-dated dies.From the E. Horatio Morgan Collection.
