1818 Capped Head Left Half Eagle. BD-2. Rarity-4. STATESOF. MS-62 (PCGS). A handsome Mint State example with lustrous surfaces and a pleasing strike for the issue. The lovely yellow-gold patina is accented by swaths of rich honey coloration in the protected areas. The eye appeal remains superior for the assigned grade, with just minor bagmarks visible under scrutiny and no particularly distracting abrasions. <p>The three known die marriages of the 1818 half eagle are easy to distinguish since two display very prominent diagnostics. On examples of BD-2, as represented here, the words STATES and OF in the reverse legend appear as one word. This is the most frequently encountered die marriage of the issue, but we stress that all Capped Head Left half eagles of 1813 to 1834 are scarce, if not rare in numismatic circles. Examples of this type saw widespread melting through the mid 1830s, explaining why this is one of the most challenging of all U.S. gold coin series to collect. Survivors of the 1818 BD-2 variety number only 100 to 125 coins in all grades per the Bass-Dannreuther reference and the experts at PCGS CoinFacts. Many show considerable circulation or surfaces problems, emphasizing the desirability of this charming Uncirculated survivor. <p>
