1795 $5 Small Eagle MS(PCGS#8066)

Pre-Long Beach

拍卖行

Superior Galleries

批号

2421

等级

MS62

价格

707,823

详细说明

1795 Small Eagle. PCGS graded Mint State 62. An historic offering! One of only a few certified in this outstanding grade, and a beautiful, dare we say gorgeous semi-prooflike coin. The surface is warm yellow to greenish golden in color and has reflectiveness on both sides but mainly it is the reverse whose reflective quality gets noticed. Designs are intricate and sharp including a full cap and waves of hair, full drape at the shoulder, and extensive wing and leg feathers on the eagle. About the only area that we might ask for slightly better detail would be the eagle’s right leg, but this is simply nitpicking since elsewhere, the small perched bird shows outstanding qualities. In conclusion the coin is a superlative example of late-18th century American coin manufacture and preservation. (PCGS holder 50104274.) In June of 1795 Henry DeSaussure replaced David Rittenhouse as Mint Director. His initial hope was to begin striking gold coins with any eye to improving coin designs. Under Rittenhouse’s orders, Chief Engraver Robert Scot had already prepared dies, and on July 31, 1795, 744 hall eagles were delivered: the very first gold coins produced by the United States Mint. Scot’s depiction of Liberty on the new $5 coins was Classical in its conception, made after a Roman-style Hellenistic Greek goddess, with hair flowing from under a large cap. The bust was draped so as not to be objectionable to “modern” eyes of the late 18th-century with the easy sensuality of the ancient motif An onyx cameo from first century Rome apparently inspired Scot’s reverse, which bears an eagle with wings wide, holding a wreath in its beak, and a palm branch in its claws. The small and stylized bird was sometimes derided as a “chicken eagle” by early viewers. Along with the date, only the inscriptions LIBERTY and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA are found on the coin: no denomination or statement of value occurs since it was assumed only wealthy individuals would ever handle such high-value pieces and they would know the values from their business experience. Only 18,512 Capped Bust/Small Eagle fives were produced from 1795 through 1798, and most weren’t able to escape the huge melts that later consumed the bulk of U.S. gold coinage minted before 1834. Survivors, particularly in high grade like this sparkling MS62, are very scarce.