1799 $10 Capped Bust. Small obverse stars. Taraszka 17:12-I, Rarity 7. AU-50 light hairlines. An extremely rare die pairing this is identifiable by a light die crack through the upper two points of the eighth star and a die line in the third clear stripe from the right in the reverse shield. This variety was not offered in last years Harry Bass sale. The third star on the obverse is diagnostically weak, while the rest of the devices and lettering are boldly impressed. As usually seen, the delicate fields show faint hairlines from a past cleaning, but they are not offensive. On the reverse, there are no significant problems whatsoever. A few adjustment marks are noted on the reverse rim near the top and along the right side, but a glass is needed to see them.
One of the scarcest die pairings according to the Taraszka reference, and collectors seeking an example of each variety would do well to purchase this coin to start their collection. One thing experience tells us, rarity never goes out of style, and to purchase a coin with half a dozen known doesn't leave a lot of competition.
