Lot 2093 of our 2017 ANA World’s Fair of Money Auction will feature a delightful AU-55 (PCGS) 1815/2 half dollar, one of the most desirable issues in the Capped Bust series. The 1815/2 is a significant key-date, and has a paltry mintage of just 47,150 pieces compared to the 1.2 million halves that would be struck in 1817, the following year of half dollar production.
Economic turmoil spurred by the War of 1812 and the burning of Washington, D.C. by the British in August 1814 resulted in a considerable disruption to half dollar mintage at the end of the 1814 production year. New dies were not created for the 1815 issue. However, by late 1815, the economy had recovered and bullion depositors once again demanded half dollars, the most popular lubricant of commerce of the era. An unused 1812-dated obverse die was repunched with a 5 digit and employed to strike a modest quantity of what is now one of the most desirable overdates of the series.
Examples of this issue are typically encountered in Extremely Fine and lower, often accompanied by surface problems and evidence of mishandling. A gorgeous Choice AU example like that to be offered in our August ANA auction is a truly significant opportunity for specialists.
The highlighted coin is deeply toned in pewter-gray with navy and champagne iridescence throughout. The surfaces are satiny, with bountiful mint luster on all but the most vulnerable regions. Isolated softness is visible in the peripheries, though the focal elements are bold and intricate.
This piece approaches the condition census for this key-date issue, though it has curiously evaded ranking on Stephen J. Herman’s definitive Auction & Mail Bid Prices Realized for Bust Half Dollars (Spring 2017 Revision). Sitting atop the census for the O-101 dies is the Kaufman specimen at MS-66+ (NGC), followed by the Pogue specimen at MS-65 (PCGS) and a quartet of additional Mint State examples down through the Charles Link specimen at MS-61 (PCGS). The present example, situated just below this Uncirculated population, is within the top dozen survivors of the variety. When offered by Heritage in their August 2011 auction it was certified AU-58 (NGC), supporting that it is a truly choice AU-55 example.
This lovely key-date half will be featured in lot 2093 of the Rarities Night session held on Thursday, August 3, accompanying such rarities as the Lord St. Oswald-Norweb 1794 Flowing Hair dollar and the 1853-O No Arrows Liberty Seated half dollar from the Garrett Collection. Contact us today at 1-800-458-4646 or email info@StacksBowers.com to secure your copy of this exciting catalog!
