An extraordinary collection of the rarest and most important early U.S. half eagle varieties ever assembled will cross the auction block on January 8 at Heritage Auctions’ U.S. Coins Signature® Auction – FUN Special Sessions: Ellsworth & Jacobson.
The Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr. Collection of Early Half Eagles is a remarkable 68-lot offering that represents one of the most ambitious and successful pursuits in American numismatics. Built with a singular goal, to acquire the rarest known die varieties in the early $5 gold series, the collection includes every early gold variety that eluded legendary collector Harry W. Bass, Jr., with the sole exception of two unique 1797 varieties permanently housed in the Smithsonian Institution.
A Collection Built on Elite Rarities
“Like many of the savviest numismatists, Harvey Jacobson pursued the major rarities in this series first,” says Todd Imhof, Executive Vice President at Heritage Auctions. “That immediate commitment to elite coins became the foundation for what evolved into a truly magnificent collection of the rarest and most important early half eagle varieties.”
Imhof adds:
“Any list of the most notable early half eagles would include most of the lots offered here. This collection is inarguably one of the finest in numismatic history and will be referenced for generations alongside the Harry Bass Collection.”
Highlights from the Jacobson Collection
1795 BD-13 Heraldic Eagle Half Eagle, Unique
One of the most celebrated pieces in the collection is the 1795 BD-13 Heraldic Eagle Half Eagle, graded MS62 PCGS (HBJ-207). This coin is unique, a distinction that places it among the most important early U.S. gold discoveries ever made.
The coin was featured in “Elusive Half Eagle Varieties, A Collection of Early Examples” by Harvey Jacobson and Heritage Senior Numismatist Mark R. Borckardt, published in the August 2019 issue of The Numismatist.
Renowned researcher Doug Winter described it as:
“One of the very few early gold varieties that is unique… a true testament to the numismatic significance of the Jacobson Collection.”
1797 BD-4 Half Eagle — Plate Coin
Also offered is the 1797 BD-4 Half Eagle, graded AU58+ PCGS (HBJ-209). This historic coin is illustrated on PCGS CoinFacts and serves as the plate coin in Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, A Study of Die States 1795–1834 by John Dannreuther.
First appearing in the George D. Woodside Collection, the coin has passed through several landmark collections. The winning bidder will become just the sixth owner since the 1860s, underscoring its extraordinary provenance.
1819 $5 BD Unlisted (BD-3) — Major Discovery
Among the most intriguing offerings is an 1819 “BD-3” Half Eagle, graded AU Details by NCS (HBJ-252). This R.8 rarity is a significant discovery coin not recorded in the Bass–Dannreuther reference.
Heritage’s Mark Borckardt identified the variety in March 2014, though early numismatist Edgar Adams may have noted it decades earlier. Adams’ half eagle research ceased at 1800, and his notebooks remain inaccessible, making this coin one of the most compelling modern discoveries in the series.
1825/4/1 Half Eagle BD-3 — Probably Unique
The collection also features the 1825/4/1 Half Eagle, BD-3, graded MS61 NGC (HBJ-259). Doug Winter called this coin a “probably unique variety” and noted it was one of Harvey Jacobson’s favorite coins in the set.
This is the discovery coin for the variety and the only example known to Heritage Auctions. Its die-linkage confirms long-standing theories about early Mint die usage, demonstrating that reverse dies were reused across years, even when previously thought unused for certain emissions.
The discovery definitively answers a long-standing question posed by researchers, including Dannreuther, regarding the Mint’s practices in 1825.
1834 BD-4 Half Eagle – The “King of Fat Head Fives”
Rounding out the highlights is the legendary 1834 BD-4 Half Eagle, graded MS64+ PCGS, CAC (HBJ-268), widely known as the “King of Fat Head Fives.”
This coin is:
- A unique variety
- Tied for the finest 1834 Capped Bust Half Eagle ever graded by PCGS
- The only MS64+ example
One of just six CAC-approved specimens
Its illustrious provenance includes the Irving and Joan Greenwald Collection and the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, with appearances documented in Rare Coin Review No. 30. Its pedigree also serves as the entire condition census for the variety.
A Landmark Event in U.S. Numismatics
The Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr. Collection of Early Half Eagles represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for collectors, institutions, and scholars alike. When these coins take flight on January 8 at the FUN Show, they will redefine the landscape of early U.S. gold collecting.
Sweet coins
What a collection. Good job