USA 50 cents Capped Bust Half Dollar 1815
USA, Philadelphia
Rarity
Rare
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 50 cents |
| Krause number | KM# 37 |
| Mintage | 47,150 |
| Metal | Silver 0.893 |
| thickness | 1.7 mm |
| diameter | 32.5 mm |
| weight | 13.48 g |
Obverse:
Liberty
Creators:
John Reich
LIBERTY
Reverse:
Coat of arms
Flags
Creators:
John Reich
50 C.
E PLURIBUS UNUM
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
The Napoleonic Wars, of which America's War of 1812 was a sidebar story, played havoc with bullion prices and interrupted deposits of silver at the U. S. Mint. As a consequence, no half dollars were coined during calendar year 1815. When production commenced early the following year, a single half dollar obverse die was overdated from 1812 and paired with a single reverse to create the only die marriage dated 1815. A mere 47,150 of these coins were delivered January 10, 1816 before a fire destroyed the Mint's rolling mills. Unable to manufacture planchet strip until the machinery was replaced months later, no more halves were coined with the 1815 date. Though 1815/2 is not an especially rare coin, its low mintage, combined with the overall popularity of Capped Bust Halves with date collectors, has placed great price pressure on this issue. Mint State coins are in very short supply, and even worn pieces command strong premiums as the key date for the 1807-36 series. One positive feature of 1815/2 half dollars is that they are free of the extreme die clashing and erosion typical of many halves 1808-14.Read More
