Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ Coin Resource Center includes entries on major varieties of certain dates. This blog will cover the CRC entry on the 1823, Broken 3 variety Capped Bust half dollar. A notable variety in the Capped Bust half dollar series, the 1823 Broken 3 is listed in the Red Book and is quite rare in Mint State.
1823, Broken 3 Capped Bust half dollar is an early die state of the Overton-101 die marriage. Per the CRC listing, “While this die combination was still fairly young, the Broken 3 was repaired in the die, creating the Patched 3. Numeral punches were raised from punch matrixes in much the same way that a die is made from a hub. The Broken 3 punch was poorly manufactured, but the punch matrix from which it was created apparently produced other punches that show a more refined and intact 3.”
In addition to outlining the variety’s origin, the CRC listing discusses the evolving state of research on Capped Bust half dollar die varieties; experts once thought that the 1823 Broken 3 was an overdate variety. The variety is not especially rare outside of Mint State (although it is scarcer than its Patched 3 successor), but it is sought by Capped Bust collectors. The CRC listing notes: “In Mint State, 1823 Broken 3 half dollars are justifiably considered rarities.”
As is the case with other CRC entries, the entry on the 1823 Broken 3 half dollar includes high-quality images, links to the handful of recent auction appearances of the coin, and to Coins in Motion animations. Unlikely as it is that our readers have a new example, there is a link to contact our staff, as well as one to submit corrections.
