Years
Designer
John Reich / William Kneass
Composition
91.67% gold
Diameter
23.8 mm
Mass
8.75 g
Thickness
1.8 mm
Edge
Reeded
Mints
Philadelphia
Metal
Gold
Design
Large diameter 1813–29, reduced 1829–34. Close, fat denticles. Almost the entire type was melted after 1834.
History
The graveyard of U.S. gold. The 1822 half eagle is unique in private hands (three known, two in the Smithsonian). 1815, 1825/4, and 1829 large-date are legendary. Most dates have fewer than a few dozen survivors.
Key dates
Varieties
1822-P · 1822 half eagle
design · stopper
22 issues