1820/19 Capped Bust Half Dollar. O-101a. Rarity-3. Square Base 2. MS-63 (PCGS).The deep golden-tan patina erupts with vibrant powder blue, violet, and tangerine iridescence under a light source. Uniform satiny luster blankets the surfaces and is undisturbed by any significant marks. First described in the Haseltine Type-Table, authored by the uncredited J. Colvin Randall, this variety has long been appreciated as the rarer of the two 1820/19 overdate varieties. The other variety employs a curl-based 2 in the date and shows more of the 9 beneath the final date digit. Though 2.2 million 1819 half dollars were struck, there was an enormous drop-off in 1820, "caused by the increased mint activity in production of smaller denomination silver coinage, i.e. dimes and quarters," according to Overton. Just 751,122 1820 half dollars of all varieties were coined. Only six obverse dies were employed, two of them overdated atop 1819-dated dies leftover from the banner year before.Though Breen termed this variety "Ex. rare UNC," the two 1820/19 varieties appear similarly elusive in Mint State. In any grade above Extremely Fine, this variety is prized, though the entire date is still underappreciated for its general scarcity in choice grade. It is ranked as CC#3 for the O-101a die state in Herrmans Autumn 2020 AMBPR </em>behind an MS-66 (NGC) and an MS-65 (PCGS).PCGS# 6125. NGC ID: 24FE.From the Richard Jewell Collection. Earlier ex Dale Friend Collection.
