Capped Head to Left Half Eagles 1813-1834

About This Series

Continuing John Reich's leftward-facing Liberty portrait through two size formats, the Capped Head to Left Half Eagle spans twenty-two years when gold coins were effectively absent from everyday commerce. The Large Size (1813-1829) and Reduced Size (1829-1834) subtypes differ in diameter and edge treatment, reflecting evolving production technology. Several dates have mintages below 30,000, creating a challenging collecting pursuit. The 1815 stands as one of the most famous American gold rarities — only 635 struck and fewer than a dozen known, ranking among the rarest regular-issue U.S. gold coins. Scarcity stems partly from limited mintage but also because gold coins of this era were worth more as bullion than currency, driving widespread melting and export. The irony of this series is that many dates were produced adequately but few survive because coins were more valuable dead than alive — their gold content exceeded face value, driving them to the melting pot. Surviving examples are precious witnesses to a period when American gold coinage existed more as accounting convenience than circulating medium.

Series Information