Capped Bust half dollars span the hand-fed lettered-edge era and the reduced-diameter reeded-edge transition, making production technology part of the design story.

This guide covers the 1807–1836 lettered-edge type and the 1836–1839 reeded-edge types, including cataloged overdates, denominations, and New Orleans issues.

Core specifications

Issue period
1807–1839
Catalog mints
2
Reported catalog mintage
84,480,145
Composition
Varies by type
Diameter
Varies by type
Weight
Varies by type

A workhorse denomination changes how it is made

John Reich's Capped Bust design became a major channel for American silver and accumulated a rich record of hand-punched dates, lettered edges, and reusable dies.

Steam-powered presses and close collars enabled a smaller, consistently round reeded-edge half dollar in 1836. Christian Gobrecht refined the design, the reverse denomination changed, and New Orleans joined production near the series end.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

Liberty faces left wearing a cap inscribed LIBERTY, with stars around the portrait and the date below.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

An eagle with shield holds arrows and an olive branch. Earlier coins state 50 C. and use a lettered edge; later reverses use 50 CENTS or HALF DOL. with a reeded edge.

Where the cataloged coins were made

Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.

  • P — Philadelphia: 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839; 84,364,125. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
  • O — New Orleans: 1838, 1839; 116,020. Confirm the O mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.

Representative issues that explain the series

A major-type set can show the lettered-edge and two reeded-edge formats; die-marriage collecting offers a much deeper path.

  • 1817 P - 7 Over 4 — 8. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1836 P - Reeded Edge - 50 CENTS Reverse — 1,200. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1838 O — 20. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1839 O — 116,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.

Start with the major type, then study smaller die differences

The current catalog records 7 varieties. A variety name describes repeatable die features; it does not automatically mean error, rarity, or added value.

The issue catalog keeps all 7 modeled varieties attached to their parent issue records.

Issue catalog

1807 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1807 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Small Stars1807 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Large Stars1807 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Large Stars - 50 Over 201807 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Bearded Liberty1808 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1809 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1809 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Edge1809 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - xxxx Between Words on Edge1809 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - llll Between Words on Edge1810 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1811 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1811 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Small 81811 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Large 81811 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 18.11 Date1812 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1812 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date1812 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 2 Over 1 - Small 81812 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 2 Over 1 - Large 81812 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Single Leaf Below Wing1813 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1814 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1814 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date1814 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 4 Over 31814 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - E Over A in STATES1814 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Single Leaf Below Wing1815 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 5 Over 21817 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1817 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date1817 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 7 Over 31817 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 7 Over 41817 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 181.7 Punctuated Date1817 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Single Leaf Below Wing1818 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1818 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date1818 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 8 Over 7 - Small 81818 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 8 Over 7 - Large 81819 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1819 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date1819 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 9 Over 8 - Small 91819 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 9 Over 8 - Large 91820 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1820 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 20 Over 19 - Square Base 21820 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 20 Over 19 - Curl Base 21820 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Curl Base 2 - Small Date1820 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Square Base Knob 2 - Large Date1820 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Square Base No Knob 2 - Large Date1820 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - No Serifs on E's1821 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1822 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1822 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date1822 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 2 Over 11823 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1823 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date1823 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Broken 31823 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Patched 31823 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Ugly 31823 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Tampered 31824 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1824 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date1824 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 4 Over 11824 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 4 Over Various Dates1824 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 4 Over 41825 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1826 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1827 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1827 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Curled Base 21827 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Square Base 21827 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 7 Over 61828 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1828 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Curled Base 2 - No Knob 21828 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Curled Base 2 - Knobbed 21828 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Square Base 2 - Small 8s - Large Letters1828 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Square Base 2 - Small 8s - Small Letters1828 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Square Base 2 - Large 8s1829 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1829 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date - Small Letters1829 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Normal Date - Large Letters1829 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - 9 Over 71830 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1830 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Small 0 in Date1830 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Large 0 in Date1830 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Large Letters1831 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1832 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1832 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Small Letters1832 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Large Letters1833 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1834 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - All Varieties1834 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Small Date - Small Letters - Large Stars1834 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Small Date - Small Letters - Small Stars1834 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Large Date - Small Letters1834 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Large Date - Large Letters1835 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1836 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1836 P Capped Bust Half Dollar - Reeded Edge - 50 CENTS Reverse1837 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1838 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1838 O Capped Bust Half Dollar1839 P Capped Bust Half Dollar1839 O Capped Bust Half Dollar

From one type coin to a complete catalog

  • One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
  • Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
  • Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
  • Variety study: Choose one date or diagnostic family and record several matching markers for every attribution.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 101 issue records, 7 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

  1. Half Dollar Coins — United States Mint
  2. Capped Bust Half Dollar category reference — PCGS CoinFacts