You can hold a piece of America’s rich history with the 1812 capped bust half dollar. These silver half dollar coins were a part of a limited amount of coinage that was produced by the United States during the War of 1812. Only three of the ten coin denominations listed in the 1792 Mint Act were struck consistently during the war: cents, half dollars, and half eagles. The war limited foreign coin substitutes, bouillon weight peculiarities, and other aspects that made minting the other denominations impossible. The 1812 Capped Bust Half Dollar can represent a pivotal time in America’s history. The 1812 capped bust half dollar was designed by John Reich, a former indentured servant and German immigrant. The capped bust half dollar was of particular importance during the War of 1812, perhaps more so than any other coin issued by the mint during the time period. The capped bust half dollar was produced continuously throughout the war, with a mintage that was in the millions each year. The capped bust half dollar became the “coin of the realm” due to its utilitarian nature and high mintage. The mint produced a high volume of capped bust half dollars largely because there were no foreign coin substitutes of the 50 cent value to serve the public. The capped bust half dollar was also a key aspect in bank transfers. The demand for capped bust half dollars decreased in 1815, when paying the ward debt sent the U.S. economy into a tailspin and reduced the demand for coinage. Still, capped bust half dollars were struck from 1807 until 1839. The large silver coins had a classic design that made them very popular. The capped bust half dollar coin’s obverse depicts a leftward facing Lady Liberty bust wearing a “LIBERTY”-inscribed cap that represents a Phrygian cap. Seven stars are to Lady Liberty’s left and six are to the right, with the date of mint, 1812, below the truncation. The capped bust half dollar coin’s reverse shows the heraldic eagle with downward-pointing wings. Above the eagle is a banner with a motto that reads, “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The inscription “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” surrounds the coin and is occasionally interrupted by the tips of the eagle’s wings. The capped bust half dollar’s denomination, 50 cents, is written as 50 C. below. The capped bust half dollars also feature a lettered edge. Capped Bust half dollars vary significantly in design from the draped bust half dollars of the early 1800s. Capped bust half dollars represented a portion of a worker’s daily wages. Capped half dollars did circulate in pocket change, but many of them were primarily traded between banks, which explains why collectors can still find some capped bust half dollar coins in high, and sometimes uncirculated, grades. Capped bust half dollars contain 90 percent silver, with the remaining percentage comprised of copper. The half dollar has a troy weight of 3617 ounces of silver. The 1812 capped bust half dollar coins were minted in Philadelphia. The half dollars weigh 13.48 grams and have a diameter of 32.5mm. Coin collectors can love to add the 1812 capped bust half dollar to their collection. The 1812 capped bust half dollar was in average circulation, so the silver coins may show slight wear from use.
Product Identifiers
Designer
John Reich
eBay Product ID (ePID)
170360501
Product Key Features
Strike Type
Business
Mint Location
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Composition
89.2% Silver, 10.8% Copper
Year
1812
Dimensions
Weight
13.5g
Additional Product Features
Mintage
162859
EDGE
Lettered: Fifty Cents or Half a Dollar
Mint
Philadelphia
Denomination
50C
PCGS Number
6100
Diameter
32.5mm
Mint Mark
P
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