1814 O.107a R5 Capped Bust Half Dollar PCGS VF35

A very rare and incredibly interesting die state, with a bit of history.... Overton's 1st edition (1967) lists the marriage of Obverse 6 and Reverse F as O.13, and states (in part), "...A die crack from milling runs up between 81 to lower edge of bust." The 2nd edition (1970), lists 1814 O.107 (now a marriage of Obv 6 and Rev G) with the notation, "Late die states show a die crack from edge between 81 to bust". In the 3rd edition, O.107a makes it's debut, and is described, "Same as {obverse} 6 except for additional die crack from edge between 81 to bust". The current 5th edition simply adds the wording, "and a small crack at the nose". Consistent, that's for sure. But wrong. A truly imaginative mind might see something on the 1st ed plate coin, but what we know for sure is that it wasn't a die crack. An 1814 O.107 has never been found with a crack in that location, or anywhere close. I'm completely convince that what Overton saw was a scratch or a planchet defect of some sort, but was not in the die. Considering we have much later die states than he saw in 1967 (this is one of them), his coin could not have had that crack Simple. But, collectors have been searching for that crack since 1967. This is the real 1814 O.107a, a very late die state with die chipping on the bridge of the nose and under the serif of the first 1. These are known with similar chipping at the second one as well, and here we find a hint of that. All of this is interesting, cool and makes for a great story. But, the best is yet to come. These dies, both of them, were used in 1814 to strike the very rare trial coins in Platinum known as Judd 44. It is of particular importance to note that silver 107's were struck first, then the platinum coins (3 are known today) and then the mint went right back to striking 107's in silver again. Finally, production came to a close with a limited number of 107a's.