1837 50C Capped Bust, Reeded Edge NGC MS66 - Condition Rarity!

Here's an opportunity to purchase a gem-plus example of this popular two-year type half dollar. The 1837 is one of only two issue of Christian Gobrecht's Reeded Edge half dollar. This is the second year of the type--the first year (1836) has a small mintage of 1,200 which points collectors towards the 1837 issue.

NGC has graded 7 in MS66 with only 5 finer. This makes this piece a Condition Rarity, perfect for those numismatists who pride themselves on only acquiring such pieces. This date is common in lower Mint State grades, however gems are rarities.

Christian Gobrecht, who created a new Capped Bust design based on John Reich's iconic original.

The Philadelphia Mint, in its first full year of steam-powered coin production, minted almost as many half dollars as it had in the final years of manually-powered equipment. There would have been an even greater volume of half dollars minted (above the 3,629,820) had it not been for technical issues involved in producing a full strike.

The Mint used four different collar diameters in an attempt to get the rim area fully formed, for many of the 1837 half dollars are not fully struck near the rim. Due to those issues at the Mint, some weakness of strike is found on four stars on the obverse, two on each side near the top. On the reverse there is some flatness on 'UNITED S'. However, the rest of both sides of this beauty are fully-struck. Plus there is an attractive golden patina on both sides.