Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
The Draped Bust half dime was last produced in 1805, the final year of a short five-year series of the type (no half dimes were produced in 1804). Production of half dimes resumed in 1829, the first samples struck early on July 4 as part of the events surrounding the laying of the cornerstone for the second Philadelphia Mint building. The reason for the restart of the denomination after a two-decade gap is unknown, but perhaps demand had grown for a denomination greater than one cent but less than a dime (two and three cent coins, and the nickel, would not be produced until the 1850s and 1860s). The new half dime was prepared by Chief Engraver William Kneass, although many believe he adapted an earlier John Reich Capped Bust design. Kneass’ effort was in turn modified by Christian Gobrecht after Kneass became impaired by physical issues. Gobrecht, who had prepared the letter and numeral punches for the Capped Bust issues during Kneass’ tenure, was responsible for the subsequent Liberty Seated design. Capped Bust and Liberty Seated half dimes were both minted in 1837.

The Capped Bust half dimes were produced using the close collar technology implemented by the Mint in the late 1820s. Earlier coins were edged prior to the obverse/ reverse striking, but the close collar (essentially an edge die) eliminated this step, imparting the edge reeding as part of the striking process. The close collar also limited the outward spread of metal during striking, creating not only a uniform diameter to the finished coins, but generally improving the device impressions; metal constrained from flowing outward more completely flowed into the details of the design features. The close collar also produced a raised protective rim around the beads or dentils along the circumference, and enabled the minting of proof coins with higher quality details and polished surfaces.

On the obverse Liberty faces left, wearing a softly folded mobcap (a woman’s headdress of the time) with the word LIBERTY around the base. Long curled hair extends from under the edge of the cap along the front and sides, and cascades down the neck and over the shoulder. Folded drapery wraps around the neck and down and across the bust, and is secured by a clasp above the shoulder. Thirteen six-point stars are arranged on both sides of Liberty, seven to the left and six to the right, all inside the beaded or dentilled border that is inside the raised smooth rim. The date is at the bottom.

The reverse displays a centered eagle, wings partially raised, clutching an olive branch in the right claw and three arrows in the left. A shield is placed over the body of the eagle, and a concentric banner folded backward at the ends, displaying E PLURIBUS UNUM, is above the eagle. The denomination 5 C. is at the bottom. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA follows along the top three-fourths of the coin inside the beads or dentils that are placed next to a raised smooth rim. All coins were minted at Philadelphia and display no mintmark.

Circulation strike Capped Bust half dimes are relatively plentiful in census/ population reports, though specific varieties are scarce or rare. A few prooflike examples have been certified. Prices are modest up to near-Gem, becoming expensive as Gem or finer. The 1834 3 over inverted 3, 1836 3 over inverted 3, and 1837 Small 5C have modest premiums over other dates, increasing by factors of two or more as Choice Uncirculated or finer. Very few proof coins have been certified, including some with cameo designations. All proof examples are expensive even at lower grades, but very expensive as Select Proof or finer. There are minor price variations from year to year but no proof issue is markedly more or less expensive than any of the other dates in the series.

Specifications:

Designer: William Kneass, possibly adapted from a John Reich design
Circulation Mintage: high 2,760,000 (1835), low 871,000 (1837)
Proof Mintage: high 30 (1829, estimated), low 10 (1830-1833, 1835-1827, estimated)
Denomintion: $0.05 Five cents (05/100)
Diameter: ±15.5 mm; reeded edge
Metal content: 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper
Weight: ±1.35 grams
Varieties: Many known, including 1834, 3 over inverted 3; 1835, Large and Small denomination and Large and Small date; 1836, 3 over inverted 3; 1836 and 1837 Large and Small denomination; and other minor die variations.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
Federal Half Dimes. Russell J. Logan, John W. McCloskey. John Reich Collectors Society.
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
United States Coinage: A Study by Type. Ron Guth and Jeff Garrett. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 10/07/2008

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
The half eagle was the only U.S. gold coin produced in 1813. Quarter eagles were last made in 1808, not to be minted again until 1821, and eagles had not been struck since 1804, with no further production until 1838. Gold dollars and double eagles would not be seen until 1849-1850, nearly a generation away. There were two reasons for the lack of circulating gold coins. First, the gold that was brought to the Mint for coinage came generally from banks, and bankers apparently preferred half eagles, using them for internal reserves and for international commerce. Second, a fixed silver-to-gold ratio in the United States was at a disadvantage to the international ratios of the two metals, meaning that it took less silver to procure an ounce of gold in this country than it did overseas. Investors would buy an ounce of gold here for 15 ounces of silver, then sell that gold in Europe (where it was often melted) for 16 or more ounces of silver, buy another ounce of gold stateside with that silver, and so on. The cycle continued until gold essentially disappeared from domestic circulation. As a result, even though mintages of half eagles of this type were relatively generous (except for 1815), most of the coins ended up as bullion. Thus, the series has been described as being comprised of the “greatest rarities in American numismatics”, “impressive for its rarity”, and “the most difficult of all half-eagle designs to obtain.”

No half eagles were minted in 1816 and 1817 because of a January 11, 1816, fire at the Mint that damaged machinery used to prepare coinage strips and planchets. In 1829 changes in technology resulted in the production of a new version of the Capped Head type. The introduction of the close collar, or collar die, not only standardized the coin diameter but improved striking quality as well. Under the previous method of production the planchet had room to expand during striking, resulting in slight variance in the finished coin diameter. The collar die also imparted a reeded edge to the coin. William Kneass made slight modifications to the Reich/ Scott half eagle design to accommodate the new technology, most notably adding a beaded border inside of plain rims, in contrast to the previous dentilled border which extended to the edge of the coin. However, the change of technology did nothing to address the disparity between the face value of the half eagle and its bullion value, and gold coins continued to be melted. Not until the June 28, 1834, Act reduced the weight of all gold coins was the incentive to melt those coins removed.

The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Liberty, slightly larger in size and more matronly in appearance than the previous version. Thirteen six-point stars circle the bust inside the dentilled border, and the date is at the bottom. Half eagles struck in the latter part of 1829 through the early part of 1834 have a beaded border inside of a plain raised rim. The reverse features a left-facing eagle, wings outstretched, clutching an olive branch in its right claw, and three arrows in the left. A shield covers most of the eagle’s body. Above the eagle is a simple curved banner, ends folded to the back, displaying E PLURIBUS UNUM. Inside the rim, dentilled through 1829 and beaded from that date forward as on the obverse, is UNITED STATES OF AMERICA which forms nearly a complete circle (with breaks on either side of STATES OF to allow for the eagle’s wing tips) with the denomination of 5 D. at the bottom. The obverse stars and date, and reverse lettering are smaller on the reduced diameter coins issued from 1829 through 1834.

Only the 1813 business strike Capped Head half eagle is represented by more than 120 coins in census/ population reports. Many dates and varieties of this type are known by fewer than 20 examples, some by fewer than five pieces. Coins at all grades are expensive, often very expensive at grades finer than Extremely Fine. Issues that are higher priced include 1815, 1819, 1819 5D/50, 1822, 1825/4, 1828/7, and 1829. The 1822 half eagle is considered one of the premier U.S. coinage rarities, with only three examples known, two of which are permanently housed in the Smithsonian Institution. Should this coin ever become available, it would likely sell for several million dollars, matching or exceeding the price of other famous rarities such as the 1913 Liberty Head nickel and the 1804 Draped Bust Dollar. The 1825/4 is the second most expensive example of the type, listing for several hundred thousand dollars at all known grades. Proof issues are likewise extremely rare, and have been certified only for the years 1830, 1832, and 1833, by no more than a half dozen coins for any one date. All proofs are extremely expensive, approaching prices of one million dollars as Premium Gem or finer.

Specifications:

Designer: John Reich (1813-1815), Robert Scot (1818-1829), William Kneass (1829-1834)
Circulation Mintage: high 263,806 (1820), low 635 (1815)
Proof Mintage: high 5 (1825-1832, 1834, estimated), low 2 (1833; none known prior to 1825)
Denomintion: $5.00 Five Dollars Half Eagle
Diameter: ±25 mm, reeded edge (23.8 mm from the latter part of 1829 forward)
Metal content: 91.67% gold, 8.33% silver and copper
Weight: ±8.75 grams
Varieties: Several are known, including overdates of 1814/3 (all of the 1814 issues), 1825/1 (or possibly a partial 4 instead of a 1), 1825/4, 1828/7; 1818 STATESOF, with no space between the two words; 1818 and 1819 5D over 50; 1820 Curved and Square base of the 2, Large and Small letters; 1832 with only 12 obverse stars; and 1834 Plain and Crosslet 4. There are additional varieties with small and large numbers/ letters, as well as other minor variations in the size or placement of device features. Some varieties are extremely rare, with only five or fewer pieces known.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties; A Study of Die States, 1795-1834. John W. Dannreuther and Harry W. Bass Jr. Whitman Publishing.
Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins 1795-1933, Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth, Whitman Publishing.
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 10/07/2008

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
Charles Barber’s Liberty Head five cent coin was first produced for circulation in 1883 after two years of development of various patterns for the proposed type, including an 1882 pattern virtually identical to the design actually released. The issued 1883 nickel did not have text indicating the denomination anywhere on the coin, but there was a dominant letter V on the reverse, part of a proposed plan to use Roman numerals on new one cent and three cent coins as well. Whether this plain symbology, minus descriptive text, was an actual blunder or a result of a not too unreasonable assumption that the size, color, and V would be a sufficient indicator of the denomination is unknown.

However, some individuals saw an opportunity to make a quick profit with the new nickels, albeit through chicanery, reeding the edges and adding a gold plating; and then passing the final product to unsuspecting innocents as a new five dollar gold piece. These “racketeer” nickels naturally caused a sustained protest, and Mint Director A. Loudon Snowden ordered Barber to modify the coin to explicitly specify that the V meant cents, not dollars. The hope for easy money was not limited to the thieves, though, as many people saved the 1883 issue in the hopes that with the corrected version in circulation, the former would be withdrawn from circulation, resulting in a windfall for holders of the “centless” coins. Such was not to happen, and the revised nickel became the third circulating example of the denomination dated 1883.

The Liberty Head nickel design not only started in controversy, but it also ended in controversy. On December 13, 1912, Mint Director George H. Roberts wrote a letter to Philadelphia Mint Superintendent John H. Landis stating that he was to “do nothing” regarding five cent coins for 1913, waiting instead for the new designs (the Indian Head or Buffalo nickel). That order was only partly followed. No official 1913 Liberty Head nickels were produced for general circulation, but someone at the Mint surreptitiously produced five of those coins (rumors persist of a sixth example), whose existence was revealed in 1920 when all five coins were publicly displayed. All have been subsequently sold and resold, often as a complete set in the 1920s and 1930s; one example was thought lost to the numismatic community until its existence was recently reconfirmed. Today the coin is one of the premier U.S. rarities, selling for several million dollars when an example becomes available.

On the obverse a somewhat matronly Liberty faces left, hair swept back and tied in a bun, with a few stray curls dropping down the back of the neck. On her head is a coronet inscribed with LIBERTY, with wheat and cotton clustered at its base. A circle of 13 six-point stars is placed inside the dentilled rim, and the date is at the bottom. A prominent V is located in the center of the reverse, surrounded by a small circle of two arcs of cotton and corn, tied at the bottom with a ribbon and separated at the top. Inside the dentilled rim is a concentric circle of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the top and sides, CENTS at the bottom, and two dots, one centered on each side of CENTS. Below STATES OF, above the plant wreath, is E PLURIBUS UNUM. Denver (D) and San Francisco (S) mintmarks for the 1912 issue are placed in the small space below the dot that is to the left of CENTS.

Several hundred business strike Liberty Head nickels have been certified, and prices are moderate up to Gem grades, becoming expensive as Premium Gem and finer for most dates. Key coins, and the most expensive, are the 1885, 1886, and 1912-S, which are generally expensive in Mint State, and very expensive as Gem or finer. A few prooflike examples have been certified. Proof examples are moderately priced up to the Superb Gem grade for most dates, with a few dates becoming expensive as Gem or finer. The 1885 and 1886 dates are more expensive than other dates at all grades, the 1885 more so, though somewhat less than business strike examples for those same two years. Cameo and deep cameo proofs have been certified for most years. All 1913 examples are listed as proofs, and sell for a few million dollars when rarely available.

Specifications:

Designer: Charles E. Barber
Circulation Mintage: high 39,557,639 (1911), low 238,000 (1912-S)
Proof Mintage: 6,783 (1883 With Cents), low 1,475 (1907)
Denomintion: $0.05 Five cents (5/100)
Diameter: ±21.2 mm, plain edge
Metal content: 75% copper, 25% nickel
Weight: ±5 grams
Varieties: Those listed in census/ population reports include Double Die Reverse business strike examples for 1887 and 1900, and a proof 1884/188 date doubling. Several other doubling, repunching, and minor die variations are known, though most are not represented in census/ population reports.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
The Liberty Nickel Collector Society: www.libertynickels.org
A Guide Book of Shield and Liberty Head Nickels, Q. David Bowers, Whitman Publishing
Million Dollar Nickels: Mysteries of the Illicit 1913 Liberty Head Nickels Revealed. Paul Montgomery, Mark Borckardt, Ray Knight. Zyrus Press.
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 10/07/2008

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
The small “white cents”, so-called because of their light color compared to that of the older large cents, had at first escaped the hoarding of coins that came with the Civil War. But by 1862, in spite of the production of millions of the coins, the cent also disappeared from circulation, joining the silver and gold coins already in hiding. In the absence of federal coinage, entrepreneurs issued cent-sized bronze tokens, which were redeemable for services and merchandise from the issuing businesses. In 1864, the year of Abraham Lincoln’s reelection and the Union victories at Cold Harbor, Atlanta, and the Shenandoah Valley that changed the momentum of the War in the favor of the North, Mint officials revised the Indian Head cent, copying the look and feel of these popular and readily accepted tokens.

The design was basically the same, but the composition changed from copper-nickel to bronze (copper, tin, and zinc). Though the copper content was higher, increasing from 88% to 95%, the cent no longer contained the expensive nickel alloy, which likely contributed to the hoarding of the early 1860s. The bronze cent was also darker in color because of the higher copper content, about a gram and a half lighter, less expensive to make, and easier to strike because the coins no longer contained the hard nickel metal. The public accepted the new cents, which finally began to freely circulate. Cents with both copper-nickel and bronze were produced in 1864, but nearly three times more of the new bronze cents were made. Only two issues of the series, 1877 (Philadelphia) and 1909 (San Francisco) did production drop below one million coins, and in 1907 over 100 million pieces were produced.

Liberty’s face on the Indian Head cent is similar to Longacre’s 1854 three dollar gold piece, and also bears resemblance to his 1849 gold one dollar and double eagle Liberty portraits. Wearing a beaded necklace, Liberty faces left. On her head is a nine-feathered Indian war bonnet with a band displaying LIBERTY. Locks of hair drape down the back, and one end of the diamond-patterned head band curls slightly to the front, with the other end somewhat hidden between the hair and the bottom feather. Early 1864 bronze cents had the rounded tip of the bust as on the copper-nickel issues, but later coins for 1864 and all subsequent years have a pointed bust tip and a small L (for Longacre, sometimes hard to see because of wear) in the lower part of the smaller ribbon to the back. UNITED STATES follows along a dentilled border to the left, OF AMERICA along the right. The date is at the bottom.

The reverse has a concentric two-part wreath inside a dentilled rim, tied together at the bottom by a ribbon that also binds three arrows. The wreath is mostly composed of oak leaves with acorns, though another type of leaf is shown at the bottom on the left side. The top ends of the wreath separate to allow for the placement of a small Union shield, and ONE CENT is prominently displayed in the center of the flan. Bronze Indian Head cents, both circulation and proof issues, were produced every year in Philadelphia, and at San Francisco in 1908 and 1909; the S mintmark is located on the reverse, below the tie of the ribbon, and slightly off-center to the right.

Hundreds of business strike bronze Indian Head cents have been certified, usually with red (RD), red-brown (RB), and brown (BN) color designations, though very few are classified as prooflike. Prices are moderate for most dates up to near-Gem, but even Premium Gem and finer coins are relatively affordable for many dates. Most expensive are the 1873 Double LIBERTY, the 1877 (long considered a key date), and the 1888/7 overdate. The 1864 L On Ribbon, 1869, 1872, and low mintage 1908-S pieces are slightly more expensive than other issues. For proof coins, prices are modest for lower grade issues up to near-Gem grades, but as with circulation strikes, for some dates even Premium Gem and finer coins are relatively affordable. The L On Ribbon 1864 pieces are expensive at all grades, very expensive as Gem or finer. A few 1860s issues are more expensive than other dates, and the key date 1877 issue is considerably more expensive than all but the L On Ribbon examples at all grades. Cameo proof coins have a modest price premium at lower grades, which increases at higher grades. For both circulation and proof coins, red coins are more expensive than either red-brown or brown, and red-brown coins more expensive than brown examples.

Specifications:

Designer: James B. Longacre
Circulation Mintage: high 108,137,143 (1907), low 309,000 (1909-S)
Proof Mintage: high 6,609 (1883), low 20 (1864-L, estimated. Approximately 150 1864 proof coins were minted without the L; the combined 1864 mintage is the lowest for the type)
Denomintion: $0.01 One cent (1/100)
Diameter: ±19 mm, plain edge
Metal content: 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc
Weight: ±3.11 grams
Varieties:Many known, including several date doubling or repunching; the 1864 No L On Ribbon; the 1865 Plain and Fancy 5; the 1873 Closed and Open 3, referring to the amount of space between the top and bottom extensions of the digit (the Closed 3 appearing at first glance to be an 8); the 1873 double LIBERTY; the 1886 Type 1 and Type 2, distinguished by the placement of the lowest feather on the Indian’s headdress relative to letters C and A in AMERICA; and other variations of device style and placement.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
A Guide Book of Flying Eagle and Indian Head Cents. Richard Snow. Whitman Publishing.
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
United States Coinage: A Study by Type. Ron Guth and Jeff Garrett. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 10/03/2008

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
After the 1808 quarter eagle issue there was a 12-year hiatus in the production of the denomination. An uncertain world political scene combined with rising gold prices caused gold coins to vanish from circulation. Because of a fixed 15-to-1 silver-to-gold ratio in this country, speculators and brokers could exchange one ounce of U.S. gold for 16 ounces of silver overseas, more or less, use 15 of those silver ounces to buy another ounce of gold here, send that gold overseas for 16 more ounces of silver, and so on. The main impediment to this profit of one ounce of silver per transaction (minus any shipping fees) was the inability to secure enough gold. Banks were the main depositors of gold at the Mint, and per the Mint’s policy, a depositor could request coinage of certain specific denominations. Those who requested gold coins usually chose half eagles, likely for the same reason that most of us today would rather receive a dime in change instead of two nickels: fewer pieces to handle for the same amount of money. Eagle mintage had ended in 1804, by order of President Thomas Jefferson, not to be reintroduced for another decade, and the double eagle would not be produced until the mid-1850s.

However, in 1821 several banks requested quarter eagles, for reasons unknown though perhaps as presentation awards, at the same time gold bullion was coming to the Mint from Mexico and mines in the southeastern states. Chief Engraver Robert Scot was responsible for designing the revitalized issue but, likely because of his advanced age and failing health, he adapted designs from earlier John Reich motifs rather than creating new ones. Scot had modified John Reich’s half eagle obverse design for the 1813 issue of that denomination, and he adapted that portrait for the 1821 quarter eagle. Liberty and her mobcap are smaller than on the 1808 pieces, giving room for the stars to encircle all but the bottom of the portrait, but the reverse from that version was continued with only slight modifications (refinement of the lower wing feathers most noticeable). Scot, who had been Chief Engraver of the Mint since 1793, died in 1823 and the quarter eagle was to receive further modifications from his successor William Kneass, including a reduction in the diameter of the coin in 1829. No quarter eagles were minted in either 1822 or 1823.

The obverse displays a somewhat mature and stout version of Liberty, who faces left, head covered with a mobcap (an early 19th century woman’s headdress) under which curls of long hair drape over the forehead and down the back of the neck. The cap displays LIBERTY along a ribbon banner at the cap’s base. Thirteen six-point stars encircle the portrait inside a dentilled rim, the ring broken by an opening for the date at the bottom, below the truncation of the neck. The center of the reverse displays a left-facing eagle, wings outstretched nearly to the dentilled rim, body covered by a Union shield, an olive branch in the right claw (left to the observer), and three arrows in the left claw. Above the eagle is a concentric banner below STATES OF, folded back at the ends, displaying E PLURIBUS UNUM. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA encircles inside the rim, separated into three parts by the eagle’s wing tips, and the denomination of 2 1/2 D. (the fractional separator horizontal) is at the bottom.

All business strike Capped Head Left, Large Diameter quarter eagles are scare to rare; census/ population totals are greater than 100 coins for only one year, 1825. Prooflike coins have been certified for several of the dates. Though the most expensive coin is the 1826/5 (or 1826/6; opinions differ) issue, even lower grade coins are expensive, and Mint State examples are rare and very expensive, extremely so as Gem or finer. The only certified proof date is the 1821 issue, represented by fewer than 10 coins, and including cameo examples. All proof coins of the type are very expensive to extremely expensive.

Specifications:

Designer: Robert Scot, based on a John Reich design
Circulation Mintage: high 6,448 (1821), low 760 (1826)
Proof Mintage: 5, for each production year (estimated)
Denomintion: $2.50 Quarter Eagle
Diameter: ±20 mm, reeded edge
Metal content: 91.67% gold, 8.33% copper
Weight: ±4.37 grams
Varieties:Very few varieties have been identified. Though the 1824/1 and the 1826/5 issues are overdates, all known examples from both of those years are overdates. Some believe the 1826 issue is actually an 1826/6 overpunch.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins 1795-1933, Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth, Whitman Publishing.
Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, A Study of Die States. 1795-1834. John Dannreuther and Harry W. Bass Jr. Whitman Publishing.
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 10/02/2008

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
The Draped Bust Small Eagle half dollar type was minted for two years, as was the Flowing Hair type that preceded it. No half dollars were minted from 1798 through 1800, and when the series resumed in 1801 the design was changed again. The obverse was essentially the same, but the eagle on the reverse was now larger, called the heraldic type due to the resemblance of the eagle and shield to the Great Seal of the United States. This reverse design was already being used on half dimes and dollars. John Eckstein modeled Liberty from a portrait done by artist Gilbert Stuart, and Chief Engraver Robert Scot produced the coinage dies from Eckstein’s impression. Stuart apparently disavowed the final result as not faithfully representing his original work, and his association with the effort was unknown for many years.

Early mintages of the new half dollar type were higher than the last year of the Small Eagle reverse, but not excessively so; the total number of coins minted in 1801 and 1802 was approximately 30,000 pieces in each of those years. Those figures jumped in 1803 and 1805 to around 200,000 coins, but in 1806 the total was nearly 840,000 pieces. The total for the final year of the type dropped, but even then over 300,000 coins were minted. No 1804-dated half dollars were produced, but the existence of an 1805/4 overdate indicates that 1804 dies were prepared. Though Mint reports show that over 155,000 half dollars were minted in 1804, these were likely 1803-dated coins.

Cents, half dollars, and half eagles were the primary coinage produced in the Mint’s early history, but of those three denominations the cent circulated most freely. In many cases gold coins and the larger denomination silver coins such as half dollars were used mostly for bank-to-bank transactions; the face value of those coins represented a significant amount of money for the ordinary workman at the time, and many of the original mintage have survived. The Draped Bust Heraldic Eagle halves are considered one of the few early U.S. coin types for which a complete date series can be easily assembled.

The obverse prominently displays Liberty in the center of the coin, long flowing hair swept backward and down her neck, and tied at the back with a ribbon. Folded drapery is placed across the bust and over her shoulder. Thirteen six-point stars, seven to the left and six to the right, LIBERTY at the top, and the date at the bottom form a circle inside the dentilled rim. The reverse has in the center a left-facing eagle, wings outstretched with the tips extending nearly to the dentilled rim. A shield covers most of the body, and the eagle holds in its beak a loop of a ribbon displaying E PLURIBUS UNUM, positioned in front of the right wing and in back of the left. The eagle’s right claw clutches several arrows, the left an olive branch. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA nearly circles inside the rim, the words separated by the eagle’s wing tips. Above the eagle are 13 small six-point stars in two arcs, six at the top and five below, with an additional star on each side of the eagle’s head. Above the stars, below STATES OF is an arc of clouds. The denomination no longer appears on the reverse as it did on the previous type. All coins were produced at Philadelphia and have no mintmark.

Prices of Draped Bust Heraldic Eagles halves are modest at low grades, advancing as XF or finer, and expensive as AU or finer. Few Mint State pieces have been certified and all are expensive, particularly as near-Gem or finer. Reflecting lower mintage totals, 1801 and 1802 coins are more expensive at all grades and very expensive as AU or finer. The 1806 Knob 6, No Stem variety is rare and expensive, and unknown in census/ population reports finer than XF40. Some varieties are scarce or rare, and expensive as Mint State. No proofs are known, but an 1807 coin has been certified as a Gem specimen example.

Specifications:

Designer: Robert Scot and John Eckstein
Circulation Mintage: high 839,576 (1806, all varieties), low 29,890 (1802)
Proof Mintage:none known, but a prooflike specimen exists
Denomintion: $0.50 Fifty cents (50/100)
Diameter: ±32.5 mm. Lettered edge, FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR, the words separated by circle, rectangle, or star ornamentation
Metal content: 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper
Weight: ±13.48 grams
Varieties:Many known, some rare, with the most commonly listed including the 1803 Large 3 and Small 3; 1805/4 (the first recorded use of an overdate on half dollar coinage); 1806/5; 1806/9 (considered an inverted 6 rather than a 9); 1806 E/A (STATES over STATAS); and 1806 No Stem, With Stem (no stem and with stem referring to the presence/ absence of the end of the olive branch in the eagle’s left claw), Large Stars, Small Stars, Knob 6, and Point 6 (knob and point referring to the shape of the top extension of the digit 6) in various combinations. Other varieties with minor differences in device placement or size are also known.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
John Reich Collectors Society: http://logan.com/jrcs/
United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836. Donald L. Parsley. Donald L. Parsley
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
United States Coinage: A Study by Type. Ron Guth and Jeff Garrett. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 09/30/2008

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
The Draped Bust half dollar was introduced after only two years of production of the previous design. The simple portrait of Liberty on the Flowing Hair type was criticized as being an inappropriate representation, not dignified with her wildly flowing hair more aboriginal than aristocratic. The eagle was especially vilified; one letter writer compared it to a “turkey cock”. When Henry William DeSaussure replaced the first Mint director, astronomer and surveyor David Rittenhouse, he wanted to improve the designs of all coins, particularly the silver issues. DeSaussure was to resign after just five months as director, and his successor Elias Boudinot (former president of the Continental Congress) was in place by the time the revised half dollars were issued. The Draped Bust design was first used on the silver dollar in 1795, and then applied to the cent, half dime, dime, quarter dollar, and half dollar in 1796.

John Eckstein modeled Liberty from a portrait done by artist Gilbert Stuart, and Chief Engraver Robert Scot produced the coinage dies from Eckstein’s impression. Stuart was apparently displeased with the final result and disassociated himself from the effort; his participation was unknown for many years afterward. Draped Bust half dollars of 1796 and 1797 are considered the rarest circulation strike U.S. silver coins. Most bullion depositors at the Mint in the late 1790s requested silver dollars; half dollars were struck only upon specific request. Few were made and very few were preserved as keepsakes, and most today are in circulated condition. Half dollars of 1796 have both 15-star and 16-star obverses (the 16th star representing the addition of Tennessee to the Union), with the 15-star variety apparently produced first. Paradoxically, half dollars from 1797 also have 15 stars, likely from the use of an obverse die prepared in 1796 to which the last date digit was added for the 1797 production.

The obverse prominently displays Liberty in the center of the coin, long flowing hair swept backward and down her neck, and tied at the back with a ribbon. Folded drapery is placed across the bust and over her shoulder. Six-point stars, LIBERTY at the top, and the date at the bottom form a circle inside the dentilled rim. The earlier 1796 variety has 15 stars, eight to the left and seven to the right, and the second version displays 16 stars, nine to the left and seven to the right. The 1797 issue reverts to 15 stars, eight to the left and seven to the right.

The reverse has in the center a right-facing eagle, slightly smaller than on the Flowing Hair type, perched on what appear to be clouds. Around the eagle is a circle formed by two branches, laurel on the left and palm on the right, tied at the bottom with a bow. Below the bow is the denomination, represented as the fraction 1/2 (with a horizontal separator), the only time the denomination is so displayed on any lettered-edge half dollar. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA forms nearly a complete circle just inside the dentilled rim. All coins were produced at Philadelphia and have no mintmark.

The most common half dollar of this type is the 1797 issue, but “common” in this case is relative term. All examples of the type are rare, very expensive at the lower grades and extremely expensive as very fine or finer. The 1796 16-star examples are more expensive than the other issues at all grades. No proofs are known, but a 1796 15-star coin has been certified as a Premium Gem specimen example.

Specifications:

Designer: Robert Scot and John Eckstein
Circulation Mintage: 3,918 (both years combined)
Proof Mintage:none known, but prooflike specimens exist
Denomintion: $0.50 Fifty cents (50/100)
Diameter: ±32.5 mm. Lettered edge, FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR, the words separated by circle, rectangle, or star ornamentation
Metal content: 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper
Weight: ±13.48 grams
Varieties:Two major varieties of the 1796 issue are known, one with 15 obverse stars (likely produced first) and the other with 16 obverse stars. A couple of other varieties with minor differences in device placement or size are also known.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
John Reich Collectors Society: http://logan.com/jrcs/
United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836. Donald L. Parsley. Donald L. Parsley
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
United States Coinage: A Study by Type. Ron Guth and Jeff Garrett. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 09/29/2008

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
Though 1794 half cents are sometimes included in the Liberty Cap, Head Facing Right type, there are differences that distinguish that date from half cents produced from 1795 through 1797. Chief Engraver Robert Scot’s 1794 Liberty design was adapted from the Libertas Americana medal, a design by French medalist Augustin Dupre to commemorate America’s victory over Great Britain in the Revolutionary War. Liberty’s head and the Phrygian (liberty) cap are larger on the 1794 issue, filling most of the obverse space. Liberty’s hair is also fashioned differently, flowing farther back from the head, and the relief of the coin is higher. Assistant Engraver John Smith Gardner lowered the relief and reduced the size of Liberty’s head in 1795. Gardner also placed the wreath elements on the die by hand, whereas Scot had added all the reverse details to the hub. Because considerable striking pressure was required to completely transfer the hub details to the die, Scot’s process was not continued: the results were often not as good as expected, requiring the hand work that Scot had hoped to minimize.

Half cents were authorized by the Mint Act of April 2, 1792, though the production of the coins had a troubled early history. The denomination was not popular with the public, who preferred the cent. Certain individuals, mindful of the profits to be made, lobbied to remove coinage as a federal activity, instead placing the work into the hands of private contractors. Annual recurrence of yellow fever outbreaks in the 1790s took a toll of Mint staff. There was also an ongoing problem securing copper supplies of good quality, and some half cents were struck on cut-down Talbot, Allum & Lee tokens, others from spoiled cent coins. Some half cents show remnants of these undertypes (often valued as a subtype), and some 1795 coins were produced on thick planchets thought to be reused cent coins that were not rolled to correct half cent thickness. Half cents dated 1798 and 1799 were not made, though they were produced in 1799 and 1800 using 1797-dated dies. Half cents produced in 1800 were struck on cents dated 1797 and 1798, and possibly 1800. The Low Head half cent variety (referencing the position of the portrait on the flan) is also an overstruck cent subtype.

A right-facing, somewhat classical rendition of Liberty dominates the uncluttered obverse inside a dentilled rim. Liberty’s hair is streams to the back and down the neck. The word LIBERTY is centered at the top and the date is at the bottom. A Liberty pole topped by a Phrygian cap is placed behind the portrait, presumably resting on the unseen left shoulder. A segment of the pole is visible at the bottom of the cap, and the end of the pole extends diagonally from the lower neck nearly to the edge of the coin. The reverse displays UNITED STATES OF AMERICA inside of, though generously separated from, a dentilled rim. Two laurel branches with individual berries form an interior circle and are tied by a ribbon at the bottom. Inside the wreath at the coin’s center is the HALF CENT denomination, which is repeated as the fraction 1/200 below the bow.

Relatively few half cents of this type are listed in census/ population reports, and many varieties are scarce or rare. Prices are moderate at grades up to Very Fine, advancing strongly above that to expensive as Mint State and finer. Few Mint State coins have been certified, particularly as Gem and finer. All low-mintage 1796 varieties and the 1797 Gripped Edge are rare and very expensive, extremely so as Mint State. The 1795 Lettered Edge Punctuated Date and the 1797 Lettered Edge are slightly to moderately more expensive than most other varieties.

Specifications:

Designer: Robert Scot, modified by John Smith Gardner
Circulation Mintage: high 139,690 (1795, all varieties), low 1,390 (1796, both varieties)
Proof Mintage:none known
Denomintion: $0.005 One half cent (005/100)
Diameter: ±23.5 mm. 1795 edge labeled with TWO HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR. 1795-1797 edge plain, with some 1797 examples lettered or gripped (incuse pattern)
Metal content: 100% copper
Weight: 1795, ±6.74 grams. 1795-1797, ±5.44 grams
Varieties:Several for each of the three dates in this series. Those listed in census/ population reports are the 1795 Lettered Edge and Plain Edge; the 1795 punctuated date, so called because of a stray mark that looks like a comma between the 1 and the 7; 1795 Plain Edge With Pole Thin and No Pole Thick, No Pole referring to the missing pole in front of Liberty caused by excessive die lapping, and Thin and Thick referring to the planchet thickness; 1796 With Pole and No Pole versions, the No Pole an engraving omission; 1797 1/1, which has two impressions of the 1 digit, one above the other; 1797 Centered Head and Plain Edge Low Head; and 1797 Lettered Edge and Gripped Edge, the latter referring to an irregular incuse pattern on the coin edge. Other minor die variations are also known.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
Early American Coppers: www.eacs.org
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of Early United States Half Cents 1793-1857. Walter Breen. American Institute of Numismatic Research.
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
United States Coinage: A Study by Type. Ron Guth and Jeff Garrett. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing.
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 09/25/2008

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
This type is also labeled Draped Bust or Turban Head to distinguish it from the later Capped Bust type introduced in 1807 (the Guide Book calls this type Capped Bust to Right, and the later type Capped Bust to Left). The eagle on Robert Scot’s earlier Capped Bust Small Eagle design of 1795 was unpopular, criticized as being scrawny. Scot replaced the small eagle with a larger eagle, often called a Heraldic design because of the dominant presentation of the Union shield over the eagle’s body. Some have noted that steel coinage dies used at the time were nearly as valuable as bullion, and for that reason it was common to use and reuse those dies until they wore out. Such economy resulted in many varieties of early half eagles, including the chronologically “impossible” pairing of the Heraldic eagle reverse with an obverse 1795 date, explained by the use of an older 1795 obverse die in 1798. Similarly, 1801-dated dies were prepared but not used in 1801, modified the next year to produce the 1802/1 overdate, and 1803 coins are 1803/2 overdates. The Large Eagle dies were first made early in 1798, but earlier-dated dies were retrieved from storage to meet increased demand for half eagles that year. This resulted in the production of Large Eagle reverse examples dated 1795, 1797, and 1798, the years also associated with the Small Eagle reverse.

Much has been written about Scot’s “blunder” in the placement of arrows and the olive branch in the eagle’s claws. The symbolism of promoting peace over war would normally have resulted in the placement of the olive branch in the eagle’s right or more honorable claw. The left claw was the sinister claw, so-called because of evil or troubling connotations that attached to anything representing the left side (this association may be familiar to those who attended grade school up through the 1950s, when efforts were made by some teachers to change left-handers to right-handers). Therefore, arrows as symbols of war should have been placed in the left claw, indicating the evil and disaster accompanying war. The olive branch was to be placed in the honorable right claw, indicating the desire for peace. It is uncertain whether Scot’s reverse of this symbology was intentional or a mistake. Some have suggested a misreading of perspective: the olive branch is to the viewer’s right but in heraldry right and left are determined from the perspective of the image, which means the eagle’s right claw is to the viewer’s left.

A right-facing Liberty wears a soft cap, possibly a mob cap (a high fashion headdress of the 1790s, seen on portraits of Martha Washington) rather than a pilleus or Liberty cap. Around Liberty’s portrait, inside a dentilled rim, are six-point stars to the left and right, the word LIBERTY at the top, and the date at the bottom. The top of the soft cap creates a visual break between the top left star and LIBERTY. Issues dated 1795 have 10 stars to the left and five to the right. Two unique pieces dated 1797, one with 16 obverse stars and the other with 15 obverse stars, are in the Smithsonian. Half eagles dated 1798 through 1807 have 13 obverse stars, eight to the left and five to the right; except for one 1806 variety with seven stars to the left and six to the right.

The reverse displays an eagle with outstretched wings in the center, a Union shield across its body, holding a loop of a banner on which is E PLURIBUS UNUM. The banner is in front of the eagle’s right wing and behind the left. The eagle holds an olive branch in its left claw and a cluster of arrows in its right claw. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA makes nearly a complete concentric circle inside the dentilled rim, UNITED and STATES, and OF and AMERICA separated by the tips of the eagle’s wings. Underneath STATES OF is an arc of clouds. Below the clouds, above and around the eagle’s head, is a canopy of small six-point stars in three short arcs, six at the top, five below, and one to each side of the eagle’s head. One 1798 variety has 14 reverse stars with six stars in the middle row instead of five. Some 1798 and 1799 issues have the stars arranged in a linear “cross” pattern rather than the curving arcs. All coins were minted at Philadelphia, and no mintmark or denomination appears on the coins.

Half eagles are scarce to rare in census/ population reports and though a few hundred have been certified for some dates, no issue of this type can be considered common. There are no known proof pieces, but there is a certified specimen example of the 1795 Large Eagle. Prices are moderately high even at low grades and increase rapidly into low Mint State grades. There is a significant jump in prices between near-Gem and Gem, with Gem and finer examples extremely expensive. The 1797 Large Eagle, 16 Stars coins are extremely expensive in all grades, and the 1795 Large Eagle and 1797/5 Large Eagle varieties also have higher premiums. Pre-1800 issues are generally more expensive than post-1800 coins, and are not represented by as many pieces in census/ population reports.

Specifications:

Designer: Robert Scot
Circulation Mintage: high 64,093 (1806), low 7,451 (1799)
Proof Mintage:none known, but a specimen example of the 1795 Large Eagle reverse has been certified
Denomintion: $5.00 Half Eagle
Diameter: ±25.0 mm, reeded edge
Metal content: 91.67% gold, 8.33% silver and copper
Weight: ±8.75 grams
Varieties:Many known, and include examples with changes in the number and size of the stars, size and position of date numerals, minor device differences, and overdates. Census/ population listings include 1797/5, 1798 Small 8, 1798 Large 8 13 Stars and 14 Stars reverses, 1799 Small Stars and Large Stars reverses, 1802/1 (all are of this type for the date), 1803/2 (all are of this type for the date), 1804 Small 8, 1804 Small 8 over Large 8, and 1806 Knobbed 6 and Pointed 6 varieties.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties; A Study of Die States, 1795-1834. John W. Dannreuther and Harry W. Bass Jr. Whitman Publishing.
Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins 1795-1933, Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth, Whitman Publishing.
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 09/23/2008

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries

Description:
The half dollar was eligible for a change in the early 1940s based on the Act of September 26, 1890, which specified that a coin design could be modified if it had been in use for a minimum of 25 years. Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross was interested in using Benjamin Franklin’s image on a coin. After seeing John R. Sinnock’s portrait of the Founding Father on a medal he created in 1933, Ross had Sinnock prepare a Franklin coin design. Implementation was delayed because of World War II, but Sinnock completed the obverse and reverse models, unfortunately only a few weeks before his death in May 1947. In her speech to the public when the Franklin half dollar was presented, Director Ross noted that some had urged her to place Franklin’s portrait on the penny because of his maxim “A penny saved is two pence clear” (usually misquoted as “A penny saved is a penny earned”). Her justification for using the half dollar was that the size and the silver composition of the half dollar were better suited to the “impressive effect” that was Franklin’s life.

Sinnock’s portrait is modeled after a bust by 18th century sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon. The design, arguably a more clean and bold effort than Adolph Weinman’s acclaimed Liberty Walking motif, was not without controversy. The Fine Arts Commission objected to the small reverse eagle (added to the design because an eagle on coins was required by statute) and, oddly, to the obvious presentation of the crack in the Liberty Bell. As it turned out, public controversy was instead generated by Sinnock’s JRS initials, which during the fears of the Cold War were mistakenly thought by some to be a reference to Joseph Stalin. The reverse Liberty Bell was adapted from John Frederick Lewis’ original sketch for the 1926 Sesquicentennial half dollar, information not revealed by Sinnock at the time but discovered and reported in the 1960s by Don Taxay. Another rumor was that the small “O” in oF, part of UNITED STATES oF AMERICA, was a mistake and would soon be corrected, making the original issues more valuable; but the text remained the same for the entire series.

Franklin’s right-facing portrait occupies much of the obverse. LIBERTY forms an arc inside the top rim and IN GOD WE TRUST a second arc inside the bottom rim. The date is placed to the right of the portrait, below the chin, extending nearly to the T in TRUST. The Liberty Bell dominates the center of the reverse, with UNITED STATES oF AMERICA encircling around the top and HALF DOLLAR, in slightly larger text, around the bottom. The phrase E PLURIBUS UNUM, in three lines and with a dot on both sides of E, is to the left of the bell, and a small eagle is to right. The eagle rests on a perch, with wings partially outstretched. San Francisco (S) and Denver (D) mintmarks are located above the wood beam holding the bell.

Franklin half dollars were produced in significant quantities and there are no date rarities in the series, though the 1949-D and 1950-D are considered key dates. Thousands have been certified for each date of the circulation issues. Prices are modest even as Gem and finer for many dates, though Premium Gem Uncirculated are expensive for some dates. FBL (Full Bell Line) examples, referring to the completeness of the encircling lines depicted on the bell, generally have higher premiums. The 1953-S issues with that designation are expensive as Select Uncirculated, increasing to very expensive as Gem and finer. A few prooflike uncirculated coins have been certified. Proofs are also plentiful (except for some of the varieties) and many cameo and deep cameo examples have been certified. The proof 1961 Double Die Reverse variety is expensive, and deep cameo examples, particularly early dates, are generally higher priced than regular or cameo pieces, some very expensive as Gem or finer.

Specifications:

Designer: John R. Sinnock (the reverse eagle by Gilroy Roberts)
Circulation Mintage: high 67,069,292 (1963-D), low 2,498,181 (1955)
Proof Mintage:high 3,218,019 (1962), low 51,386 (1950; none produced in 1948 and 1949)
Denomintion: $0.50 Fifty cents (50/100)
Diameter: ±30.6 mm; reeded edge
Metal content: 90% silver, 10% copper
Weight: ±12.5 grams
Varieties:A few varieties are known, most consisting of die doubling and differences in the details of the small reverse eagle. Those identified in census/ population reports are the 1951-S DDR (double die reverse) circulation strike; the 1956 Type 1 and Type 2 proofs, which differ by the number of separated feathers shown on the eagle’s right wing; the 1960 DDO (double die obverse) proof varieties; and the 1961 DDR varieties.

Additional Resources :

CoinFacts: www.coinfacts.com
Coin Encyclopedia: www.ngccoin.com
The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. R.S Yeoman (author), Kenneth Bressett (editor). Whitman Publishing.
A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
United States Coinage: A Study by Type. Ron Guth and Jeff Garrett. Whitman Publishing.
The Experts Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins. Q. David Bowers. Whitman Publishing.
The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Don Taxay. Arco Publishing

Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Walter Breen. Doubleday.

Last Updated : 09/20/2008