1813 $5 MS(PCGS#8116)

Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

2312

Grade

AU55

Price

9,760

Lot Description

BD Die State b/b. A desirable example of both the type and issue. The surfaces are appreciably lustrous with some of the softly frosted texture remaining. Tinges of pale pinkish-rose mingle with dominant color in warm, medium honey-olive gold. Wispy hairlines are noted for accuracy, but this coin is boldly to sharply defined throughout to nicely represent the challenging Capped Head Left $5 series.<p>The 1813 Capped Head Left half eagle is the inaugural issue for the design type, depicting a dramatically modified version of John Reich's Draped Bust Left motif which had been in use since 1807. The reverse, designed by the same artist, was also subtly massaged, exhibiting modifications to the eagle and the shape of the arrows. With a mintage of just under 100,000 pieces, this issue is the only one of the series that might be considered somewhat "available," though perhaps less than 1% of this mintage still exists today.<p>As a whole, the Capped Head Left series was plagued by chronic melting owed to a bullion content that exceeded face value. Because of this, the half eagles from 1813 through 1834 lay claim to some of the most revered rarities in U.S. numismatics, including the 1815, 1821, 1828/7, 1829, and of course, the legendary 1822 issues. Even the issue of 1820, with a mintage of 263,806 pieces, was not spared of such attrition and survivors are unexpectedly scarce.<p>While this aggressive melting was alleviated with the reduction of planchet weight from 8.75 grams to 8.36 grams in 1834, by then the American economy was essentially devoid of circulating gold coinage. That drought did not last long however, as 675,460 examples of Kneass' Classic Head design were struck in 1834, more than doubling the previous half eagle mintage record set in 1820.