$3,162,500.00 USD
The 1833 Capped Bust $5 gold half eagle (Large Date variety) represents the final series of "Capped Bust" or "Capped Head" half eagles struck from 1813 through 1834. By 1829, Chief Engraver William Kneass had modified John Reich's original design, reducing the coin's diameter and enlarging Liberty's head.
Obverse: Displays Liberty wearing a cap inscribed LIBERTY, surrounded by 13 stars with the date 1833 below. This is the Large Date variety, characterized by larger numerals in the date.
Reverse: Features a heraldic eagle with outstretched wings clutching arrows and an olive branch, with a shield on its chest. The inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and 5 D. encircle the design, with the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM on a ribbon above the eagle.
This coin is particularly significant because 1833 was the penultimate year before a major change in U.S. gold coinage. In 1834, the weight and fineness of the half eagle were reduced, because the old-tenor gold coins (like the 1833) contained more than $5 worth of gold and were being melted for profit. As a result, most pre-1834 gold coins were melted down, making all surviving 1807–1834 Capped Bust half eagles rare today.
The NGC PF63 coin in question essentially ties as the second-finest known Proof 1833 half eagle, a remarkable fact. It's important to underscore how exceptional PF63 is for an early gold proof – most pre-1850 gold proofs that do survive are often impaired (for instance, a lightly circulated Proof-58 example of 1833 was sold in 2002).
Additional Rarity: An 1829 $5 Large Diameter, Large Date, BD-1, R.7, PR66+ PCGS. JD-1, R.8 as a Proof sold on May 4, 2023 for $2,880,000
