“The zero in the denomination was first punched too far to the left. A 5 punch was used over this 0 which resulted in the 50 over 00.” — Al C. Overton, United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836, 1971 Lightly reflective on both sides, this piece shows golden toning and contrasting peripheral tones of bright blue on the obverse, while the reverse displays similar tones that appear a bit closer to brilliance near center. The strike is sharp, though stars 6 and 7 show softness, as does the top of Liberty’s cap. This flatness is echoed on the opposing portions of the reverse design, namely the end of the olive branch and top of the denomination below. No substantial marks are seen, and even trivial marks are sparse, though a few above the eagle are unfairly highlighted by the reflective field behind them. Some light hairlines blend into the pleasing toning, though we note a little abrasion under Liberty’s chin. The outline of the mispunched initial 0 shows boldly to the left of the properly punched 5, plain enough to be seen with the naked eye. In his 1988 Encyclopedia, Walter Breen claimed the honor of discovering this variety in 1951, which isn’t exactly true. M.L. Beistle included this die combination as his 1836 14T when he penned A Register of Half Dollar Die Varieties and Sub-Varieties in 1929, though he failed to recognize the 50/00 aspect on the reverse. Breen likely deserves credit for being the first to describe the punching error in the denomination which, in Beistle’s defense, is not as bold or as well preserved on most examples as it is on this coin. Like all varieties in the Capped Bust half dollar series, this variety is now most associated with the man who wrote the standard reference on the series, Al C. Overton, who called this die combination Overton-116. Now in its fifth edition, Overton’s United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836 was first published in 1971. From a humble beginning, an unassuming 1964 pamphlet entitled Early Half Dollar Die Varieties: A Supplement, the Overton book has become the bible for collectors of Capped Bust half dollars, the unquestioned standard text for two generations of specialists. Since Overton’s passing in 1972, the book has been updated regularly, with the last two editions accomplished by his son-in-law Donald Parsley, himself an advanced collector and student of the series. Other books have joined Overton in the libraries of Bust Half Nuts, including Dr. Glenn Peterson’s The Ultimate Guide to Attributing Bust Half Dollars, Eugene Souders’ Bust Half Fever, and Stephen Herrman’s Auction and Mail Bid Prices Realized for Bust Half Dollars, sometimes known by the acronym AMBPR. Advanced collectors gravitate to the study of provenance, die state, and technological aspects, helped by a shelf full of auction catalogs and fixed price lists from specialty dealers, as well as membership in the John Reich Collectors Society, with its publication John Reich Journal serving as the primary clearinghouse for new research in the series. While some collectors own just one or two examples of this design as representatives of the type, a large proportion of those who purchased even one Capped Bust half find the series enticing enough to begin down the path of date and variety collecting. With its superb aesthetics and high grade, this is among the very finest survivors of this interesting variety. Just two examples have been certified MS-65 by PCGS, and no PCGS MS-65 has ever sold at auction. Its quality makes it the perfect coin to punctuate the end of the D. Brent Pogue Collection of Capped Bust Half Dollars, the finest quality set of dates and major varieties ever assembled. PCGS# 39964. NGC ID: 24G2.
