In the early days of the United States Mint, it was common practice to reuse dies as a cost savings measure. The 1825 “5 over 4” Capped Bust Half Eagle was created when a left over 1824 obverse die was overdated to 1825 with the remnants of the “4” clearly visible. This extremely rare variety is represented by only two known examples.
For many years, the variety was considered to be unique, represented by only a single known specimen within the Eliasberg Collection. In 1978 a second example surfaced, which had been long displayed in a bank conference room tacked to a wall.
The Eliasberg specimen, which has been graded PCGS MS-64 with proof-like surfaces, last sold for $220,000 in 1982. The second specimen graded NGC AU-50 has changed hands multiple times over the years, most recently selling for $690,000 in 2008.
