1812 Capped Bust Left Half Eagle. BD-1. Rarity-3. Wide 5 D. AU-58 (PCGS). CMQ.

Handsome medium gold surfaces are sharply defined over most design elements. Appreciable luster remains, making this an ideal premium AU type candidate from the challenging Capped Bust Left half eagle series of 1807 to 1812. BD Die State a/a. Popular in commerce, half eagles saw extensive use both domestically and abroad. Die life had improved by 1812, so that the entire reported mintage of 58,057 coins for this issue was accomplished from only two die pairings (and this is likely an underEstimate: of the true quantity struck). These two pairings are readily identified by examining the reverse: BD-1, as here, has a very widely spaced 5 D, while BD-2 has the denomination compact. BD-1 forms the bulk of the production with maybe 45,000 to 60,000 pieces struck from this die pair alone, with 10,000 to 15,000 examples coined for BD-2. Even with this fairly substantial mintage, because of mass speculation and melting during the 1820s, less than 1% of that number survives to this day. John W. Dannreuther's (2006) Estimate: on the number of BD-1 survivors is in the range of just 300 to 450 coins.

PCGS# 8112. NGC ID: 25PL.

Estimate: $9300