1835 Classic Head Half Eagle. HM-4. Rarity-6. MS-61 (PCGS). <strong>Die Variety:</strong> HM-4. Obverse 1: The three obverse dies of this issue are easily distinguished by the style of the digits in the date. Obverse 1 has a block 8 with a small, straight flag on the 1. Additionally, the letter L in LIBERTY is repunched. HM-4 represents one of four uses for this die, which also appears in the HM-1, HM-2 and HM-3 attributions of the issue. Reverse A: A tongue in the eagles mouth is sufficient to distinguish this die from the other reverses used for the 1835 Classic Head half eagle issue. The workhorse Reverse A struck a total of seven varieties in 11 pairings (including remarriages) among Classic Head half eagles dated 1834, 1835 and 1836.<p><strong>Die Emission Sequence: </strong>This variety appears to be the last of four struck using the 1835 Obverse 1. It represents the fifth marriage of Reverse A, following the first or only pairings of the 1834 HM-1, HM-5, HM-8 and 1835 HM-6 in the emission sequence.<p><strong>Die State: </strong>In the 1835 HM-4 pairing Reverse A is cracked from the eagles left wing to the border and, more lightly, through the bases of the letters ED in UNITED, TATES in STATES and AMER in AMERICA. There is no evidence of deterioration within the right notch of the letter N in UNITED. The obverse has the inherited clash marks in and around Libertys ear from the 1835 HM-1, HM-2 and HM-3 pairings.<p><strong>Estimated Surviving Population for the Variety:</strong> 20 coins in all grades (per Daryl J. Haynor, 2020), or just 1.7% of extant 1835 Classic Head half eagles.<p><strong>Strike: </strong>This is a sharply to fully struck example with even the most trivial elements of the design crisply rendered.<p><strong>Surfaces: </strong>Decidedly prooflike in finish, the fields on both sides exhibit a pleasing blend of mint frost and semi-reflectivity. The color is a lovely shade of olive-gold that brightens to golden-yellow under a light. Impressively smooth for the assigned grade with no singularly mentionable marks.<p><strong>Commentary: </strong>This is a rare die pairing, simply put, and it is particularly significant that the Virginian Collection specimen is of Mint State preservation. It is a Condition Census example of the 1835 HM-4 attribution whose offering in this sale is sure to appeal to advanced Classic Head gold variety specialists. PCGS# 765210. NGC ID: 25RV. PCGS Population (HM-4 attribution only): 2 in all grades, the present MS-61 and a coin in MS-62. From the Daryl J. Haynor Virginian Collection. The plate coin for the 1835 HM-4 variety in the 2020 Haynor reference on Classic Gold coinage.
