Capped Bust $5 Gold Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1807-1834)

The early gold coins of the United States are among the most coveted and rarest items in the numismatic world. This is due both to extremely limited original mintages as well as prolific melting that took place during the late 1820s and early 1830s when the bullion value of the coins exceeded their face value. Despite reasonably healthy original mintages, nearly all of the Capped Bust Half Eagles struck between 1814 and 1834 were exported and melted. (Since no Eagles were made between 1804 and 1838 and the Double Eagle did not begin until 1850, the Half Eagle bore the brunt of the bullion speculation.) As a consequence, such dates as the 1815, 1821, 1822, 1828 and 1829 rank among the rarest of all regular issue U.S. coins. This is unlikely a set you will be able to complete, but even attempting it will place you among numismatic's elite.