Old United States gold is highly desirable in the numismatic community regardless of the date, design, or denomination. However, there are those pieces that transcend the others based on a specific set of circumstances that occurred, making it more interesting to a collector(s). That is certainly the case for this next entry in our blog series covering Whitman Publishing’s 100 Greatest United States Coins. Following along with the fourth edition, we will take a closer look at the denomination and the specific example that gave the series merit.
#67 – 1833 Proof Capped Head Half Eagle
The John Jay Pittman collection garnered a lot of attention for its acquisition of several under the radar coins and rarities over a long period of time. When it was brought to market by David W. Akers, many of the coins that were overlooked when issued were suddenly in hot demand for buyers. One of those coins with the 1833 Proof half eagle. The specific example from the Pittman collection is deeply mirrored, visibly well struck, and rich in tone and color, leading numismatists and collectors to assume that it looked no different than the day it was issued.
Aside from the collection that brought it to its fame, the date of 1833 half eagle is rare. Less than 75 circulation coins are known to have survived. There are two varieties: the Small Date and the Large Date. The four Proofs that are known to exist are all the Large Date variety. In addition to the Pittman coin, there is a specimen housed in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.
Another interesting thing to note about the coin from the Pittman collection is that it has made its way through numerous collections. One of those collections included King Farouk of which John Jay Pittman purchased it from in 1954 in Egypt when Farouk sold his collection at public auction. Pittman purchased the coin at the time for around $600. In 1997 when Pittman’s estate was sold, the coin brought $467,500. That same 1833 Proof half eagle was once again available at auction in 2005, selling for just shy of $1 million.
