1800 Draped Bust Half Dime. PCGS AU55

Pricing & History
1800. . LM-1, V-1. PCGS graded AU-55. Attractive even gray toning on both sides, has a short mark on the neck. This is a strongly struck example of the classic period Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle half dime, with abundant detail to all the important high points including many (though not all) stars. 1800 is the first year of issue for the new large eagle reverse design. LM-1 is noted for its perfect LIBERTY with the upper inside point of star 1 close to the small middle curl. Seldom seen with perfect dies. All four digits in the date are equally spaced on this variety, and the first star is low in the field (PCGS # 4264) .Mint engraver Robert Scot's design for the Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle half dime of 1800-05 was first used on the gold quarter eagle in 1796, the half eagle in 1797 and the dollars and dimes in 1798. It features a strengthened and more aesthetic rendering of Stuart's Draped Bust portrait of Liberty, her hair tied with a ribbon. The inscription LIBERTY appears above her head, and surrounding the bust are seven stars to the right and six to the left. The reverse depicts a large eagle with outstretched wings -- the Union Shield on his breast -- clutching thirteen arrows and an olive branch. His beak holds a ribbon inscribed with the Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM (One made up of many). Thirteen stars are above the eagle, read more