1836 Half Dollar Die Trial - J-A1836-1

Coin Details

Auction Record

$51,750 MS64 09-11-2009 Heritage Auctions

Description

This die trial from the dies of an 1836 Capped Bust half dollar captures one of the final years of the denomination's iconic Capped Bust design. The Capped Bust half dollar, designed by John Reich and introduced in 1807, had been the workhorse of American silver coinage for nearly three decades. The obverse features Liberty facing left wearing a Phrygian (liberty) cap, with "LIBERTY" inscribed on the cap band, surrounded by stars and the date 1836. The reverse displays a spread eagle with shield, olive branch, arrows, and the denomination "50 C." The year 1836 was transitional for the half dollar: it marked one of the last years of the Capped Bust design with lettered edge, as Christian Gobrecht's new Seated Liberty design would begin to appear on half dollars by 1839. The Judd-A1836-1 designation identifies this as a specific die trial variety, struck to test the dies before production of the 6,546,200 half dollars minted at Philadelphia that year — an enormous mintage reflecting the half dollar's central role in American commerce. Die trials of the Capped Bust half dollar are scarce survivals of the Mint's die-testing procedures, offering collectors an opportunity to examine the design in a format created for quality control rather than circulation.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Die trials of Capped Bust half dollars are uncommon, though less rare than some other denominations due to the series' high production volumes and extensive die usage.

Cross References

Judd-A1836-1