1812 Capped Bust Left Half Eagle. BD-1. Rarity-3. Wide 5 D. MS-64+ (PCGS). CAC.;The memorable eye appeal of this near Gem 1812 half eagle is enhanced by a bold to sharp strike and rich orange-gold patina. Light adjustment marks in the center of the reverse are as struck and, while they inhibit the detail in that area, the eagle is otherwise smartly impressed. Overall smooth and nearly in the full Gem category, this premium quality example is worthy of a strong bid.<p>1812 proved to be a year of noteworthy events. Napoleon invaded Russia and won a decisive (and bloody) victory at Borodino, later commemorated by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in his <em>1812 Overture,</em> one of the most recognized classical music compositions of all time. Domestically, enmity between the United States and Great Britain came to a head, beginning the War of 1812. It was also in this year that a word in common parlance today was first used in print, when the <em>Boston Gazette</em> described Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerrys redrawing of legislative districts as a "Gerrymander." <p>Popular in commerce, half eagles saw extensive use both domestically and abroad. Die life had improved by 1812, so that the entire reported mintage of 58,057 was accomplished from only two die pairings (and this is likely an underestimate of the true quantity struck). These two pairings are readily identified by examining the reverse: BD-1, as here, has a very widely spaced 5 D, while BD-2 has the denomination compact. BD-1 forms the bulk of the production with maybe 45,000 to 60,000 pieces struck from this die par alone, with 10,000 to 15,000 examples of BD-2. Even with this fairly substantial mintage, because of mass speculation and melting during the 1820s, less than 1% survive to this day. Good fortune has smiled down on todays numismatists as a fairly decent population of AU and lower Mint State examples survive. Gem examples are the exception and are very rare. The present exceptionally well preserved near-Gem with its green CAC sticker is an especially desirable example for a high grade type cabinet.;