How to Identify the Capped Bust Half Eagle
A $5 gold coin struck 1807-1812 showing John Reich's left-facing Liberty in a draped cap, struck only at Philadelphia with no numeral denomination.
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What It Is
The Capped Bust Half Eagle refers to the $5 gold coins struck from 1807 to 1812, redesigned by engraver John Reich from the original Capped Bust Right half eagle. It is sometimes called the Capped Draped Bust type because Reich turned Liberty's portrait to face left and added a softly draped cap.
Obverse Design
Liberty faces left, wearing a soft cloth cap draped over her hair, with LIBERTY inscribed on the headband. Stars flank the portrait and the date sits below the bust.
Reverse Design
A naturalistic eagle holds a shield on its breast along with arrows and an olive branch in its talons. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the design. As with all half eagles of this era, no numeral denomination appears on the coin.
Size, Weight, Metal & Edge
The coin is approximately 25mm in diameter and weighs 8.75 grams, struck in .9167 fine gold (the old 22-karat standard used before 1834). The edge is reeded.
Mint Marks
None. All half eagles of this era were struck exclusively at the Philadelphia Mint; branch mints did not yet exist for U.S. gold coinage.
Telling It Apart From Similar Coins
Compare it to the earlier Capped Bust Right half eagle (1795-1807), which shows Liberty facing right rather than left. Compare it to the later Capped Head Left half eagle (1813-1834), which uses a more heavily draped, bonnet-style cap and eventually a reduced diameter after 1829. The leftward-facing bust combined with the 1807-1812 date range identifies this specific type.
Judging Condition at a Glance
Wear appears first on Liberty's cheek and the highest hair curls beneath the cap, and on the reverse at the eagle's wing tops and the vertical shield lines. Because these coins circulated actively, well-preserved examples are notably scarcer than the raw survival numbers suggest.
Authenticity Red Flags
Given the age and value of this type, cast counterfeits with soft, mushy detail or a visible seam along the edge are the main concern. Any example should match the diameter and weight given above closely. Because no branch mints existed for this type, any coin bearing a mintmark of any kind is not genuine.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the Capped Bust Half Eagle have no mintmark?
All U.S. half eagles from 1795 to 1838 were struck only at the Philadelphia Mint, which did not use a mintmark, since no branch mints existed yet.
How is this different from the Capped Bust Right Half Eagle?
The Capped Bust Right type (1795-1807) shows Liberty facing right. This Capped Bust type (1807-1812), redesigned by John Reich, turns her to face left with a more softly draped cap.
Does this coin show its denomination anywhere?
No. Half eagles struck before 1834 do not display a numeral value; the $5 denomination is identified by the coin's size and weight.
What gold purity was used for this coin?
.9167 fine gold, the standard used for U.S. gold coinage before the Coinage Act of 1834 reduced it.