The 1831 Capped Bust half dollar is popular among both type collectors and specialists for distinct, though related, reasons. The flourishing American economy prompted a mintage of 5,873,660 pieces for the year, the largest of the denomination up until that point. Because of this sizeable figure, examples up though About Uncirculated are readily available to collectors of even modest economic resources.
The mintage required 12 obverse dies and 14 reverse dies that, in combination, produced 20 distinct varieties for the year. A dozen of these pairings exhibit some degree of scarcity, while the remaining eight are comparatively available, providing both a challenging and enjoyable pursuit for variety specialists. Despite the overall availability of the 1831 Capped Bust half dollar, Donald Parsley notes in the Fifth Edition of United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties, 1794-1836, “Well struck, well preserved specimens of this date are not common,” making Lot 20057 of our Official Auction of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Winter Expo all the more exceptional.
The 1831 Capped Bust half dollar to be sold in our Rarities Night session on Thursday, November 5, is graded MS-65+ by PCGS and has a CAC sticker. The pearl gray surfaces of this premium Gem display vibrant amber and violet iridescence that cools to teal at the borders. The coin is satiny throughout and exhibits frost within the devices. Even the most vulnerable regions are delightful, complementing the overall bold strike. A very appealing, high-grade representative of the Capped Bust half dollar series.
View this and the rest of the numismatic treasures to be offered in our November 2015 Official Auction of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo at StacksBowers.com. For more information or to reserve your copy of the catalog, please visit StacksBowers.com or call our offices at 1-800-458-4646.
