1799 Capped Bust Right Eagle. BD-6, Taraszka-18. Rarity-5. Small Obverse Stars. AU-55 (PCGS).Offered is a handsome Choice AU example of the scarce BD-6 die pairing of the 1799 eagle. Lustrous for the grade, both sides are subtly semi-reflective in the fields under a light. The texture is otherwise satiny, and the surfaces are beautifully toned with iridescent pinkish-rose highlights on dominant orange-olive color. It is sharply struck with the only mentionable softness of detail confined to star 12 on the obverse. The dentils are uniformly full around both sides, the impression ideally centered on the planchet. BD Die State e/b.<p>We believe that only a single reverse die state of this variety is known, identifiable by lapping that has effaced the top of the first four clouds. Dannreuther notes lapping as the diagnostic feature of Reverse Die State b of the 1799 BD-6 eagle, and he states that the Bass III:562 coin is an example of the earlier die state (a) with no lapping. That coin, however, also has incomplete clouds and, since we can find no other evidence of lapping on the present example, we believe that the lapping which defines Die State b has effaced the top of the clouds. Additionally, all other 1799 BD-6 eagles with which we are aware show incomplete clouds; Anthony J. Taraszka (<em>United States Ten Dollar Gold Eagles: 1795-1804</em>) even includes this feature among the diagnostics of this reverse die ("top of first four clouds incomplete"). Since we are confident that Reverse Die State a of this variety is currently unknown, either the die was lapped before it was put into production or no perfect reverse die state coins have survived.<p>BD-6 represents the final use of this obverse die, which was earlier used in the 1799 BD-4 and BD-5 marriages. The reason why the Mint finally retired this die is readily evident on the present example: the crack through star 8 into the back of Libertys cap had expanded to the point where the die was no longer viable. The reverse die, however, remained in use with a new obverse die to produce more than 10,000 examples of the relatively common 1799 BD-7 variety.<p>BD-6 vies with BD-2 as the most readily obtainable of the first six die varieties of the 1799 eagle, although we stress that all are scarce to rare. As one of no more than 45 examples believed extant, this impressive Choice AU coin is a highlight of the present sale and is sure to see spirited bidding among early gold enthusiasts.<p>PCGS# 98562.From the Harvey B. Jacobson Jr. Collection.
