Popular in commerce, half eagles saw extensive use both domestically and abroad. Die life had improved by 1812, so that the entire reported mintage of 58,057 was accomplished from only two die pairings (and this is likely an underestimate of the true quantity struck). These two pairings are readily identified by examining the reverse: BD-1, has a very widely spaced 5 D, while BD-2 has the denomination compact. BD-1 forms the bulk of the production with maybe 45,000 to 60,000 pieces struck from this die par alone, with 10,000 to 15,000 examples of BD-2. Even with this fairly substantial mintage, because of mass speculation and melting during the 1820s, less than 1% survive to this day. Good fortune has smiled down on today's numismatists as a fairly decent population of AU and lower Mint State examples survive. Gem examples are the exception and are very rare.

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the D. Brent Pogue Part III Auction, where it realized $158,625.