1836 Proof Capped Bust Half Dollar - 1836/1336 O-108

Coin Details

Description

The 1836 Proof Capped Bust Half Dollar - 1836/1336 O-108 is a proof half dollar struck at the Philadelphia Mint, part of the Capped Bust Half Dollars 1807-1839 series. This is an overdate variety — the 1836 date was punched over a die originally dated 1336. In the early U.S. Mint, dies were expensive to produce, so rather than discard a die engraved with the previous year's date, Mint workers would punch the new date digits over the old ones. The traces of the original date remain visible under magnification, creating a die variety prized by collectors and cataloged by die variety specialists. With a mintage of 10, this is an extremely rare issue — ranked 0th of 3 mint variants by mintage, with 0% of production. The obverse features Liberty facing left wearing a mob cap or turban, designed by John Reich who worked as an indentured servant at the Mint and the reverse displays a heraldic eagle with shield on breast, olive branch and arrows in talons, with a banner reading E PLURIBUS UNUM within a motto scroll. Minted during the age of Jacksonian democracy and the rise of the common man, as new branch mints opened in Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans. As a proof issue, this coin was struck multiple times on specially prepared polished planchets using polished dies, producing mirror-like fields and frosted design elements prized by collectors. Struck at the original U.S. Mint facility, in continuous operation since 1792. Struck in 89.2% silver, 10.8% copper, weighing 13.5 grams, 32.5 mm in diameter, with a lettered: fifty cents or half a dollar edge. Cataloged as PCGS #415928.