1813 Capped Head Left Half Eagle. BD-1. Rarity-2. MS-61 (PCGS). This is a flashy and attractive Mint State example with hints of prooflike reflectivity in the reverse fields. Nicely centered with full and uniform denticles. A couple minor marks on Libertys cheek below the eye and near the curl are unremarkable to the naked eye. 95,428 half eagles were produced in 1813 according to Mint reports, all of which from just two die pairs. The most common of the two varieties, the BD-1 is most easily distinguished from the BD-2 by the placement of the first S in STATES: on the BD-1 the S is to the right of the E on the ribbon, while on the BD-2 is directly over the E. Roughly two-thirds of all known 1813 half eagles are of this variety and is especially popular among type collectors. Any Mint State example is a significant offering. From the Naples Bay Collection. Earlier ex our (Stacks) sale of June 1988, lot 1640. From the Naples Bay Collection. Earlier ex our (Stacks) sale of June 1988, lot 1640.
