1806 50C Draped Bust Half Dollar, Pointed 6 No Stem PCGS VF35 (CAC)

This issue was struck during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson in the penultimate year of the short-lived Draped Bust, Large Eagle half dollar series (1801-1807). John Reich's Capped Bust half dollar made its debut the very next year (1807). This is a relatively affordable option for the collector who wants to own an example with an iconic, classic design.

Ron Guth writes, "The 1806 Pointed 6, No Stems Half Dollar is a popular, easily-recognized variety in a year full of varieties. In this case, the 6 is pointed and there is no stem in the eagle's left talon (viewer's right). The shape of the 6 was controlled by the decision of the engraver [Robert Scot] -- he picked up and used either a Pointed 6 or a Knobbed 6 punch. The missing stem [on the reverse] was an oversight on the engraver's part -- the stem was not a part of the larger punch that included the eagle and clouds. The engraver's job was to add the stars in the field above the eagle and the stem."