1827 Half Dollar - 1827 50C PCGS AU58 CAC. Square Base 2. This nicely toned, near-Mint State Square Base 2 1827 Half Dollar has mint luster remaining within its devices. The natural toning is light on the devices and darker at the rims showing colors of silver, light tan, gold and light brown. Light blue speckles of toning are present on the obverse. These colors and toning attest to the coins originality. The surfaces are clean for the grade with no notable abrasion marks or other distractions. The strike is strong with full details on Libertys broach, hair, the motto band, and the eagles head. The doubling on the dentils indicates that the coin may have been double struck, which is not noted on the insert. The CAC sticker tells us that the coin is a premium quality piece that fully merits the assigned grade. 

John Reich designed the Capped Bust half dollar. The obverse shows Liberty in profile facing left wearing a LIBERTY inscribed cap that was intended to represent a Phrygian cap. Seven stars are to her left and six are to the right with the date below the truncation. The reverse shows the heraldic eagle with wings pointing downward. Above the eagle, on a banner, is the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. The required inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the coin, interrupted by the wing tips, and the denomination written as 50 C. is below.

John Reich, a skilled engraver, was born in Bavaria and came to the United States around 1800. In order to finance his passage, he sold himself into servitude. President Thomas Jefferson recommended that Reich be hired as an engraver at the Mint in 1801. When he was serving in Washingtons Cabinet, Jefferson was in charge of the Mint as Secretary of State. While in France, Jefferson developed a working knowledge of the minting process. Reich was hired for other duties, but he eventually became an engraver. He had a superb eye for the complicated aesthetics of coin engraving. At this time his freedom was purchased by an unknown mint official. Although Chief Engraver Robert Scot designed most of the coins at the mint since 1794, it was said that Reich had much more talent and ability than Scot.

In 1807, Reich was promoted to the position of Assistant or Second Engraver by Robert Patterson, the new Mint Director. Jefferson had urged Patterson to make this promotion because Scots eyesight was failing him. The promotion was timely because Reich was considering returning to Europe out of boredom with the menial tasks he had been assigned. Immediately Patterson assigned Reich the task of redesigning the nations coinage. He began with the half eagle and the half dollar, the two most important coins for commerce.

In its population report, as of July 2013, CAC shows 27 1827 Square Base 2 coins confirmed at the AU58 grade level.