Striking 1811 Capped Bust half error tops $11K

By Steve Roach

Published: Dec 7, 2016, 8 AM

At 25 percent off-center, this 1811 Capped Bust half dollar is a mightily impressive error. Graded Fine 12, it sold for $11,162.50 on Sept. 7.

Original images courtesy of Heritages Auctions

A closer look at the 25 percent off-center 1811 Capped Bust half dollar error that sold for $11,162.50.

Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions

Early error coins from the first decades of the Philadelphia Mint certainly have the ability to get one’s mind wandering.

What did someone think about these pieces centuries ago?

While in the 19th century error collecting did not enjoy the organized and widespread fan base that it does today, some major striking errors that escaped the Mint were kept by people as oddities. Examples of striking errors like off-center coins turn up on occasion, and at its September Long Beach auction, Heritage presented several prime examples in its offering of The Hamilton Collection, Part II.

Here is one of three striking errors from The Hamilton Collection we're profiling in this week's Market Analysis:

The Lot:

1811 Capped Bust half dollar, struck 25 percent off-center, NGC Fine 12

The Price:

$11,162.50

The Story:

With early U.S. coins, any coin struck more than 20 percent off-center is a rarity and this 1811 Capped Bust half dollar is one of the furthest off-center early half dollars that has come to market recently. The U.S. Mint took care with its large silver coins, so few comparable errors on early half dollars escaped the Philadelphia Mint.

Capped Bust half dollar: The Capped Bust half dollar, which was issued from 1807 to 1839, is a wonderful series to collect, and several methods of collecting exist from which collectors can pick and choose. How much are Capped Bust half dollars worth?

Heritage described the NGC Fine 12 error as “circulated but unblemished cream-gray and lavender,” and it is attributed to the O-104a die marriage by the arc-shaped die crack on the upper left obverse field. The visually striking error sold for $11,162.50 at Heritage’s recent Long Beach auction.

Connect with Coin World:

Keep reading this Market Analysis on early U.S. error coins:

What a 10 percent off-center 1803 Draped Bust half dollar error looks like and sells for: While early coins struck 3 to 5 percent off-center are found infrequently, those struck 10 percent or more off-center are much harder to come by.

Lady Liberty mostly missing on this Coronet cent featuring major striking error: This 1848 Coronet cent, struck 65 percent off-center, would have been taken out and kept as a pocket piece, as it is unlikely it would've circulated for years.