Coin specifications and design
Design identification
Obverse: Liberty bust portrait.
Reverse: Heraldic eagle with shield, olive branch, arrows, and a denomination that changes with the major subtype.
U.S. Mint coin reference
1807–1836: Capped Bust Half Dollar (Lettered Edge Type)
Capped Bust half dollars are one of the most collected early U.S. silver series.
Capped Bust Half Dollar history
The Capped Bust half dollar was introduced in 1807 with a design by John Reich and became one of the most important large silver coins of the early United States. For many years half dollars were heavily used in banking and large commercial transactions, leading to substantial production. The series evolved from lettered-edge coins to a mechanically different reeded-edge format beginning in 1836. The final Capped Bust issues were struck in 1839 before the Liberty Seated half dollar took over.