1820 Square 2, Large Date, Knob 2

The 1820 Square 2 Large Date Knob 2 carries three diagnostic features wrapped into a single regular-issue die marriage, which is why early-half-dollar specialists treat it as one of the more interesting non-overdate combinations of the year. The Large Date logotype occupies more vertical space than the Small Date sister punches. The Square Base 2 finishes the lower terminal of the numeral in a flat horizontal stroke rather than a curl. And the knob refers to a small rounded projection at the upper-left corner of the 2, where the punch produces a visible bulge in the top arc. Together these features narrow the attribution to a small group of Overton-listed marriages within the broader 1820 production.

Authentic examples weigh 13.48 grams on planchets of 89.24 percent silver, measure 32.5 millimeters in diameter, and carry the FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR lettered edge inscription applied before the dies struck the blank. Attribution requires sequential checks: first the date size by comparing total date length against Small Date plates, then the base of the 2 to confirm the square terminal, then the upper-left corner of the 2 for the knob projection. The reverse must match the paired die for letter shapes and die-state cracks before the Overton number is settled. Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) both list this combination by Overton attribution on their certification labels, which has helped reduce confusion among newer collectors learning to separate the four major 2 styles used in 1820.

Demand is steady rather than spectacular. The variety is scarcer than the most common 1820 marriages but more available than the No Serifs Reverse or the overdate pieces. Extremely Fine examples with clear knob detail trade actively at specialty auctions and through Bust half dealer networks. For a wider look at how date logotypes and base styles evolved across the Reich half dollar program, read our Capped Bust Half Dollar series history.