The GFRC Open Set Registry Community Project

Capped Bust Half Dollars - Major Varieties

A set of Capped Bust Halves Major Varieties Set is no easy task with 76 coins. It includes a trio of R6s and a R5, but the variety of coins available in the marketplace is overwhelming. Trying to contain one's enthusiasm to a single variety of each date is difficult. Many of these coins are difficult to find in grades above AU although VG-EF examples are more available. Historically, the reference book used to attribute them has been Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836 by Al C. Overton. The third edition seems to be the preferred edition - published in 1990 - and with some effort can be obtained. (The current version is the fifth edition and was published in 2013.) The book is 676 pages and is in black and white. This book covers earlier halves too, but this is beyond the scope of Capped Bust Halves. What the Overton book does not cover is the last few years of Capped Bust Halves. Earlier coins were of lettered edge design, but starting in 1836 Reeded edge coins were produced. Even so, to attribute one's coins by Overton number there is a better choice in numismatic references - The Ultimate Guide to Attributing Bust Half Dollars by Dr. Glenn R. Peterson now in its fourth edition, printed in 2012. It is easy to find and very user friendly with wonderful close-up pictures and year graphs and a pictographic chart. New and experienced collectors alike benefit from Dr. Peterson's work. For a major variety set, the varieties of Reeded edge coins is not important.

Before 1878 and the advent of massive amounts of Morgan Silver Dollars, the half dollar coin was "the bullion coin used for bank reserves and bank to bank transactions" Clearly some of the coins saw circulation as many are available in lower grades. Regardless of its use the Bust Halves carry with them quite a story.

- John Okerson



Click Collection Name to view its composition. The Blank Collection is an empty version.

Collection Rating Complete Weighted Grade caccoin.com Last Updated
The WI Gold Collection 16.5 36% 55.8 48% March 31, 2024
The nacnud Collection 15.2 37% 60.2 64% December 12, 2023
The Long Island Collection 7.5 21% 55.4 100% January 4, 2024
The RCA Collection 1.9 5% 45.2 100% March 16, 2023
The Blank Collection
Collection Rating Complete Weighted Grade caccoin.com Last Updated
The kcs Collection 17.7 99% 18.4 1% April 25, 2021
The WI Gold Collection 16.5 36% 55.8 48% March 31, 2024
The nacnud Collection 15.2 37% 60.2 64% December 12, 2023
The John Okerson Collection 11.5 45% 35.9 0% December 26, 2016
The Long Island Collection 7.5 21% 55.4 100% January 4, 2024
The J B N Collection 6.3 17% 57.6 100% March 26, 2020
The The Visalia Collection Collection 5.0 18% 42.1 86% December 14, 2021
The Motor City Collection 4.4 9% 52.0 29% February 27, 2017
The KSeholm Collection 3.7 21% 27.7 6% August 10, 2018
The RCA Collection 1.9 5% 45.2 100% March 16, 2023
The Colinger Collection 1.6 5% 46.8 25% April 30, 2017
The White River Collection 0.6 3% 35.6 100% August 13, 2020
The Seated Appalachians Halves Collection 0.5 1% 55.0 0% July 17, 2017
The Blank Collection

Rating: The weighted average of all coin grades (i.e. aggregated sum of each coin grade + CAC premium multiplied by its rarity factor divided by the sum of all rarity factors). Missing coins are included and assigned a grade of 0. This metric is the basis for order rank.

Complete: The number of coin entries divided by the total number of coins in the Set.

Weighted Grade: The weighted average of all coin grades (see calculation above), but excluding any missing coins.

%: The ratio of coins certified by CAC (either green or gold sticker). Calculated as the number of CAC coins divided by the total number of entered coins.

Rarity Factor: The rarity assessment for each date/variety uses the Sheldon scale of R1 through R8 with a R1 weight being the most common while an R8 weight being the most difficult to locate. Rarity estimates are by John Okerson.