Capped Bust Half Dollars

Designer: John Reich

Weight: 13.48 grams (0.4755 oz.)

Composition: 0.8924 Silver 0.1076 Copper (0.4243 oz. pure silver)

Diameter: 32.5 mm (1.23 inch)

In 1807 John Reich introduced his new design for the Half Dollar. The same design persisted through 1839 and is one of the most popular and beautiful coin designs in all of Numismatics. Robert Scott was the Chief Engraver. It has several sub-design types:
Sub Design 1, 1807-1808
Sub Design 2, 1809-1811
Sub Design 3, 1812-1817
Sub Design 4, 1817-1825
Sub Design 5, 1825-1831
Sub Design 6, 1826-1830
Sub Design 7, 1830-1832
Sun Design 8 and 9, 1832-1834
Sub Design 10, 1834-1836

All designs share the same basic woman or Miss Liberty facing left adorned by a Turban cap with the word Liberty across the band (thus the Turban Head variety. The reverse depicts an Eagle holding an Olive Branch and three arrows, with E PLURIBUS UNIM in a scroll above its head (except on the early Steam Press coinage years with the readed edge coins of 1936-39).

Over 82 Million of these lettered edged coins were minted over the years.
Borders are dentilated, but offer the design little protection from wear.
The edge is lettered and normally would read FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR

Since my main focus is on the Capped Bust Series, I will spend the most time for now in this section with as much information as I can. Check back periodically for updates.

For the first 10 years of CBH's, engraver John Reich would place his mark as a notch on star 13 on every obverse working die that he had prepared. He would either notch the inner star point at the bust, or the outer star point from the bust. Referred to as the "Scalloped Star".

The Early Half Dollar Information Site

Capped Bust Half Dollars