Capped Bust Half Dollar Lettered Edge (1807 – 1836) – John Reich took over as engraver at the Mint in 1807. He immediately began work on redesigning the nation’s coinage. He created the Capped Bust motif that was used across denominations for the next three decades. The obverse features a depiction of Lady Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap, a symbol of freedom. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with the denomination below and the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA above. In the edges the phrase FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR was impressed. This edge lettering was to discourage charlatans from shaving silver off and passing the underweight coins off to merchants. The series is extremely popular and has a number of varieties where extensive study has been done. Attribution has been recorded accounting for the exacting use of obverse and reverse dies. Enthusiasts collect the series by these die pairings. Reich’s time at the Mint ended in 1817, but his works continued in production until two decades later when the Mint upgraded their facilities, and the Capped Bust coinages gave way to Christian Gobrecht’s seated designs.
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