½ Dollar "Capped Bust Half Dollar" HALF DOL. below eagle (1839) — United States

Overview

A silver ½ Dollar coin of the United States, minted in 1839 at the Philadelphia Mint with a mintage of 1,392,976 pieces. Commonly known as the "Capped Bust Half Dollar", it was designed by Christian Gobrecht. The obverse features Liberty facing left wearing a cap with 13 stars around, while the reverse depicts an eagle holding arrows and an olive branch.

Specifications

Country

United States

Year

1839

Composition

Silver (.900) (.100 copper)

Weight

13.36 g

Diameter

30 mm

Thickness

2.15 mm

Mint

United States Mint of Philadelphia

Shape

Round

Technique

Milled

References

KM# 65, PCGS# 6177, 6181

Issuer

United States

Design details

Collector insights

• Design heritage: Christian Gobrecht is credited as the designer for the Standard circulation coins series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
• Struck at: United States Mint of Philadelphia. Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
• Mintage vs. survival: A moderate mintage of 1,392,976. Grade rarity is usually the driver of value here — mid-grade circulated pieces are common, but original-surface uncirculated coins can command a strong premium.
• Precious metal content: Silver (.900) (.100 copper) — bullion value provides a price floor, and many circulated examples were melted during the 1979–1980 and post-2010 silver spikes, reducing the surviving population.
• Catalogue reference: Listed as KM# 65, PCGS# 6177, 6181. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

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