1833 $5 Capped Bust Half Eagle, Large Date, PCGS MS61 - 30 to 40 Known!

We at AUCM are very proud to offer a classic numismatic rarity to the collecting community: an 1833 $5 Capped Bust, Large Date, graded PCGS MS61. This specimen carries the iconic, classic Capped Bust design of John Reich. A piece such as this is found only in the most important numismatic portfolios.

The primary reason this issue is so difficult to acquire is that it and earlier dates were thrown into the furnaces due to the great melts. This was a direct result of the literal flood of Mexican and Peruvian silver into the U.S. That flood lowered the silver prices around the world, however the value of gold increased exponentially in relation to silver. Therefore there was widespread hoarding and melting of gold coins. This was up until 1834. The one gold coin that realized the most elimination through melting was the Capped Bust half eagle of 1813-1834. Up until the creation of the $5 Classic Head half eagle in 1834, foreign silver, underweight foreign gold, and fractional banknotes served as currency in day-to-day U.S. commerce.