1827 Square Base 2

The 1827 Capped Bust Half Dollar with Square Base 2 in the date is the more common of the two principal die-punch styles used during a year that saw 5,493,400 half dollars produced at the Philadelphia Mint. Where the Curl Base style features a softly looped foot on the digit 2, the Square Base shows a flat, block-like bottom terminal that gives the numeral a more rigid appearance under magnification. This punch style was used on a larger proportion of working dies that year, leading to its abundance across surviving populations cataloged by Al Overton. The variety appears in numerous Overton numbers within the 1827 listings, with each individual die marriage carrying its own combination of obverse and reverse diagnostics.

Capped Bust Half Dollars from this period maintained the specifications established under John Reich's 1807 design, including 89.24 percent silver content, a weight of 13.48 grams, a diameter of 32.5 millimeters, and the edge inscription FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR applied before the striking operation. Authentication of a Square Base 2 example requires careful examination of the lower terminal of the 2 in the date, where the flat block foot should sit squarely on the baseline without the curved sweep of the Curl Base variety. Additional Overton diagnostics include die crack progression, the exact spacing between stars, and the position of the period following the denomination on the reverse. The lettered edge inscription should appear crisp on well-preserved examples, with the letters running counterclockwise when viewed with the obverse facing up.

Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) data show Square Base 2 examples appear regularly in the marketplace across all circulated grades, with mint state pieces appearing at major Heritage Auctions sales throughout each year. The variety is accessible to type collectors seeking a representative 1827 half dollar, while specialists hunting individual Overton marriages will encounter both common and scarce die pairings within the Square Base group. For background on the design origins, the early Philadelphia Mint operations, and how this issue connects to the broader run of bust coinage, read the Capped Bust Half Dollar series history.