1821

The 1821 Capped Bust half dollar carries a mintage of 1,305,797 pieces struck at the Philadelphia Mint, a return to more uniform date logotype work after the wide variety landscape of 1820. While 1821 is not without its own die marriages, the year is far less notorious for date-punch differences than its predecessor, which makes it a calmer addition to a Bust half set built by date. John Reich's Capped Bust design was now well into its second decade of production, and the Mint's working practices around hubbing obverses, lettering edges before striking, and rotating reverse dies had settled into routine. Most surviving 1821 halves circulated heavily during the 1820s and 1830s and show the moderate-to-heavy wear typical of the era.

Authentication relies on the standard specifications: 13.48 grams of 89.24 percent silver, 32.5 millimeters in diameter, and the FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR lettered edge applied by the Castaing machine before the dies met the planchet. Bust half collectors attribute 1821 pieces by Overton number using a combination of star positions, date placement relative to the bust truncation, and reverse die-state cracks. Counterfeits are uncommon at the lower grade levels because the coin's basic availability does not invite the work, but altered-date pieces from the more common 1827 or 1828 dies occasionally appear. Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) both certify 1821 halves with Overton attributions when collectors request the additional label detail.

Pricing is moderate across the grade scale. Very Good and Fine examples remain reasonably affordable, while About Uncirculated and Mint State pieces command meaningful premiums given how few coins of this era escaped circulation with full detail intact. For collectors interested in how the design evolved from 1807 through the close of the lettered-edge era in 1836, read our Capped Bust Half Dollar series history.