1801–1807: Draped Bust Half Dollar (Heraldic Eagle Reverse Type)

1801–1807: Draped Bust Half Dollar (Heraldic Eagle Reverse Type) history

1801–1807: Draped Bust Half Dollar (Heraldic Eagle Reverse Type) continued the Draped Bust portrait but replaced the small naturalistic eagle with the Great Seal-inspired heraldic reverse. Half-dollar production resumed in 1801 after the 1796–1797 Small Eagle issue, and the larger shielded eagle remained through 1807.

The lettered edge carries the denomination because HALF DOLLAR does not appear on either face. Die marriages, strike weakness at the centers, edge lettering, and the date are central to attribution; 1807 also marks the transition to John Reich’s Capped Bust design.