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1820 $5 Gold Half Eagle Capped Head - Large Diameter - Square Base 2NGC MS-62
Capped Head - Large Diameter - Square Base 2
NGC MS-62
PCGS Price Guide: Capped Bust $5 (1807-1838)
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The Arlington Collection of U.S. Gold Type Coins
About the Coin Please enable JavaScript to view this page content properly. The Capped Head half eagle was struck from 1813 through 1834. This type of half eagle was only struck at the Philadelphia mint and in 1829, the diameter of the coin was reduced to 23.8mm due to new equipment being installed at the mint. Designed by Assistant Engraver John Reich, the portrait of Miss Liberty was said by 19th century writer William DuBois to have been modeled after "Reich's fat German mistress." There are two main varieties of the 1820 half eagle where the base of the 2 in the date is either curved or square (flat). However, there are up to nine sub-varieties with four of those being of the square base 2 type as is this example from The Arlington Collection. Specifically this coin is of the BD-2 varieity where star 13 is attached to the bust and broadly recut at the bottom. Although 1820 has the largest mintage for the type, the BD-2 variety is one of the most rare varieties. Only 20-25 examples are believed to exist. In a Heritage Auction of a "cleaned" example in 2006, Heritage had this to say about the BD-2 variety, "Our records indicate that the present piece is only the third example of BD-2 to appear in a Heritage Signature auction this decade." Designer: John ReichWeight: 8.75 gramsDiameter: approx. 25mm, reeded edgeComposition: 91.67% gold, 8.33% silver and copper PCGS Price Guide: Capped Bust $5 (1807-1838) Article: How to calculate the content and value of gold or silver in a coin Please enable JavaScript to view this page content properly.
About the Coin Please enable JavaScript to view this page content properly. The Capped Head half eagle was struck from 1813 through 1834. This type of half eagle was only struck at the Philadelphia mint and in 1829, the diameter of the coin was reduced to 23.8mm due to new equipment being installed at the mint. Designed by Assistant Engraver John Reich, the portrait of Miss Liberty was said by 19th century writer William DuBois to have been modeled after "Reich's fat German mistress." There are two main varieties of the 1820 half eagle where the base of the 2 in the date is either curved or square (flat). However, there are up to nine sub-varieties with four of those being of the square base 2 type as is this example from The Arlington Collection. Specifically this coin is of the BD-2 varieity where star 13 is attached to the bust and broadly recut at the bottom. Although 1820 has the largest mintage for the type, the BD-2 variety is one of the most rare varieties. Only 20-25 examples are believed to exist. In a Heritage Auction of a "cleaned" example in 2006, Heritage had this to say about the BD-2 variety, "Our records indicate that the present piece is only the third example of BD-2 to appear in a Heritage Signature auction this decade." Designer: John ReichWeight: 8.75 gramsDiameter: approx. 25mm, reeded edgeComposition: 91.67% gold, 8.33% silver and copper PCGS Price Guide: Capped Bust $5 (1807-1838) Article: How to calculate the content and value of gold or silver in a coin
The Capped Head half eagle was struck from 1813 through 1834. This type of half eagle was only struck at the Philadelphia mint and in 1829, the diameter of the coin was reduced to 23.8mm due to new equipment being installed at the mint.
Designed by Assistant Engraver John Reich, the portrait of Miss Liberty was said by 19th century writer William DuBois to have been modeled after "Reich's fat German mistress."
There are two main varieties of the 1820 half eagle where the base of the 2 in the date is either curved or square (flat). However, there are up to nine sub-varieties with four of those being of the square base 2 type as is this example from The Arlington Collection. Specifically this coin is of the BD-2 varieity where star 13 is attached to the bust and broadly recut at the bottom.
Although 1820 has the largest mintage for the type, the BD-2 variety is one of the most rare varieties. Only 20-25 examples are believed to exist. In a Heritage Auction of a "cleaned" example in 2006, Heritage had this to say about the BD-2 variety, "Our records indicate that the present piece is only the third example of BD-2 to appear in a Heritage Signature auction this decade." Designer: John ReichWeight: 8.75 gramsDiameter: approx. 25mm, reeded edgeComposition: 91.67% gold, 8.33% silver and copper
Designer: John Reich
Weight: 8.75 grams
Diameter: approx. 25mm, reeded edge
Composition: 91.67% gold, 8.33% silver and copper
Article: How to calculate the content and value of gold or silver in a coin