United States 1807 half dollar KM-37
This is the first year of the revised "capped bust" design which superseded the "draped bust" half dollar of 1798-1807. This is a scarce date, scarcer than the 1807 draped bust. The specimen shown is nicknamed "The Bearded Goddess", the result of a large obverse die break. Two varieties are recognized: O-111a and O-111b. Only the 111-b is recognized by PCGS and is currently classified as a rarity 5. The die break begins beneath the drapery next to the 1 and extends all the way up through Liberty's face and into her cap above her hair band. The "Bearded" name comes from the fact that this die break appears to be a beard extending between Liberty's chin and her chest. Almost all examples show some weakness in the middle of the beard.
Recorded mintage: 750,500 plus 301,076 of the previous "draped bust" type (KM 35).
Specification: 13.48 g, .892 fine silver, .386 troy oz ASW, reeded edge, designed by John Reich.
Catalog reference: KM 37.
- Breen, Walter H., Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Coins, New York: Doubleday, 1987.
- Alexander, David T., Coin World Comprehensive Catalog & Encyclopedia of United States Coins, Sidney, OH: Amos Press, 1995.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed., Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011.
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