1811 $5 Tall 5 (1811 Half Eagle) PCGS XF45 CAC. Traces of mint luster remain on this lightly circulated Capped Bust 1811 Half Eagle. There is only slight wear on the highest portions of Libertys hair with approximately 80% of the major curls visible, in keeping with the grade that is confirmed by CAC. On the obverse stars 5 and 9 to 13 are sharply struck, as is the clasp. Except for the dentils between the D and S and the leaves of the olive branch, the reverse strike is strong. The coin is struck from rotated dies. Clash marks are seen on both sides of the coin. They are especially sharp between the date and the truncation. These mint errors do not detract from the coins value or its grade.

John Reich designed the Capped Bust half eagle. The obverse shows Liberty in profile facing left wearing a LIBERTY inscribed cap that was intended to represent a Phrygian cap. It has seven stars to the left of Liberty and six to the right with the date below. Dentils are around the periphery on both sides of the coin. The reverse shows a defiant eagle with its opened mouth and an aggressively curved neck. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc around the eagle, interrupted by the wing tips. On a banner over the eagles head between its wings is the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. The denomination written as 5 D. is below.

Reich corrected the error made by Robert Scot in the design of the previous half eagle (as well as his other heraldic eagle motifs). Scot had placed the arrows in the eagles right or dexter claw and put the olive branch in the left or sinister claw. This reversal of the positions of these two items is an inaccurate modification of the Great Seal of the United States. On the Capped Bust Half Eagle, the olive branch is in the right claw and the arrows are in the left.

The original mintage of the 1811 half eagle was 99,581. This number includes both the Small and Tall 5s. In its population report, CAC has confirmed 3 Tall 5s in XF45 condition with 13 better.