INDEX
A Capped Bust Half Dollar contains 0.3867 troy oz of silver for the Lettered edge (1807–1836) and 0.3867 troy oz of silver for the Reeded edge (1836–1839).
Spot price as of August 26, 2026
About This Series
John Reich designed the Capped Bust half dollar in 1807, and it ran for over 30 years in two types: the "lettered edge" version through 1836, followed by a reeded-edge version as improved machinery arrived at the Mint. The series has many die varieties cataloged by Overton numbers, making it one of the most intensely studied areas in early American coinage. The 1838-O and 1839-O are the only branch-mint issues and both are major rarities. Collectors also watch for overdates among the earlier dates, including the 1817/4. Building a complete Overton variety set is a decades-long project.
Specifications
Lettered edge, 1807–1836
- Composition
- 89.24% Silver, 10.76% Copper
- Fineness
- 89.2%
- Weight
- 13.48 g
- Diameter
- 32.5 mm
- ASW
- 0.3867 oz
- Years Produced
- 1807–1839
ASW and melt value by era
| Era | Years | Weight | Fineness | ASW | Melt value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lettered edge | 1807–1836 | 13.48 g | 89.2% | 0.3867 oz | $26.33 |
| Reeded edge | 1836–1839 | 13.37 g | 90.0% | 0.3867 oz | $26.33 |
Mintage by year and mint
“Low mintage” marks a year at or below 10% of the median business-strike mintage for its own denomination; “Scarce for the series” marks one above 10% and at or below 25%. The median here is 1,694,200. That is a statement about how many were struck, not about how many survive or what collectors pay.
Low mintage years in this series: 1815 Philadelphia (47,150).
Show all 34 issues, 1807–1839
| Year | Mint | Business strikes | Proof | Relative mintage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1807 | Philadelphia | 750,500 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1808 | Philadelphia | 1,368,600 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1809 | Philadelphia | 1,405,810 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1810 | Philadelphia | 1,276,276 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1811 | Philadelphia | 1,203,644 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1812 | Philadelphia | 1,628,059 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1813 | Philadelphia | 1,241,903 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1814 | Philadelphia | 1,039,075 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1815 | Philadelphia | 47,150 | Not listed by NGC | Low mintage |
| 1817 | Philadelphia | 1,215,567 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1818 | Philadelphia | 1,960,322 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1819 | Philadelphia | 2,208,000 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1820 | Philadelphia | 751,122 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1821 | Philadelphia | 1,305,797 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1822 | Philadelphia | 1,559,573 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1823 | Philadelphia | 1,694,200 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1824 | Philadelphia | 3,504,954 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1825 | Philadelphia | 2,943,166 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1826 | Philadelphia | 4,004,180 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1827 | Philadelphia | 5,493,400 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1828 | Philadelphia | 3,075,200 | Not listed by NGC | |
| 1829 | Philadelphia | 3,712,156 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1830 | Philadelphia | 4,764,800 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1831 | Philadelphia | 5,873,660 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1832 | Philadelphia | 4,797,000 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1833 | Philadelphia | 5,206,000 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1834 | Philadelphia | 6,412,004 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1835 | Philadelphia | Not published by NGC | Not published by NGC | |
| 1836 | Philadelphia | Varieties reported separately | Varieties reported separately | |
| 1837 | Philadelphia | Not published by NGC | Not published by NGC | |
| 1838 | New Orleans | Not listed by NGC | 20 | |
| 1838 | Philadelphia | 3,546,000 | Not published by NGC | |
| 1839 | New Orleans | 178,976 | Not published by NGC | Scarce for the series |
| 1839 | Philadelphia | Varieties reported separately | Not listed by NGC | |
| Mintages as published by NGC Coin Explorer, 2026-03 snapshot. Covers 1807–1839. NGC Coin Explorer does not list every date and mint, so this is what it publishes rather than a complete census. | ||||