Classic Head Gold Collection, Part 14, 1838-C Half Eagle
BillJones
Posts: 34,824 ✭✭✭✭✭
Mintage 17,179
Estimated Number of Survivors 175
The 1838-C Classic Head half eagles were the first coins issued by the Charlotte Mint. The mint struck these coins between March 26 and 31, 1838. The Charlotte Journal was the first publication to announce their release when it proudly proclaimed, “We have the pleasure of announcing this, that our Mint has commenced coining—there is no mistake now, we have both seen and handled the yellow boys.”
These first Charlotte half eagles were not as well made as their Dahlonega Mint counterparts. Finding an attractive example is challenging. The coin is often available, but many of the pieces are unattractive with poor surfaces.
The coin displayed above was among the last 1838-C half eagles struck. The reverse has a strong diagonal die crack that runs from one side to the other. This piece was in the Stanley Elrod collection of southern gold. His collection was broken up in the 1970s. This coin is among the 10 finest known examples of the 1838-C half eagle.
Although the assigned grade is AU-58, the “official grade” among those who specialize in southern gold is AU-55.
I purchased this piece from Doug Winter. He knew of a collector who was willing to sell this piece for a price, and it was one of the deals that never got on Doug's site. This piece was sold in a Heritage auction where there was another similar piece in the same sale. That may have depressed the bids at the time.
Comments
Wow...that die crack must have been close to terminal failure....Just the rim does not show the crack (as far as I can see in the picture). Cheers, RickO
Mine has the exact same crack...
According Doug Winter, this variety, which often seems to come this reverse crack in varying degress of severity, is scarcer than the other variety.
There are two die marriages using one reverse and two reverses, with the reverse having the die crack being the latter struck. The reverse die crack was an early-on shattering event. Of the estimated 65 remaining survivors for this die marriage, only 3 coins have been identified that do not have the die crack, including the finest known in PCGS MS63. No partial die cracked reverses are known.
The OP coin is the 6th finest known.
Finding an 1838-C half eagle was not a problem for me. One of the dealers at a Winter FUN show had three of them in stock! The trouble was they were all unattractive to my eye. One that was in a VF-20 holder looked like it was a ground salvage piece with dirt driven into the surfaces.
It's easier to find an attractive 1838-D half eagle than an 1838-C half eagle.
Really nice coins!
Latin American Collection
The exact date of the first coinage at Charlotte is March 28, 1838.