Capped Bust Half Dollar
1807 to 1836 Lettered Edge
1836 to 1839 Reeded Edge

	The Turban Head or Capped Bust half dollar first appeared in 1807 and featured a left-facing Liberty with a shielded eagle on the reverse. Numerous varieties of the coin appeared over the 32 years of its mintage but only two important ones are mentioned here - the earlier version having a lettered edge and the later one having a reeded edge. One other thing that should be mentioned here is that the size of the coin was changed in 1836. Previous issues were 32.5 mm in diameter and in that year the size was reduced to 30 mm.
This is the best Capped Bust half I own. It is a certified AU that has been cleaned, which gave me a nice discount. It cost me $244 and would be worth $375 if not cleaned. It is stored in the D Case now because I removed it from its slab.		This is the reverse of the coin at left. The edge of the coin has letters stamped into the metal but I have not tried to image them. The motto above the eagle is in better condition than the one below.
This coin has the reeded edge but that cannot be seen in this photo. It cost me $168.45 and is worth at least $220. The coin is stored in the Miscellaneous album of halves and dollars. The coin has been graded as an XF 45. I now have a total of 6 of these coins in my collection, including 3 of which are in the Misc. album.		This is the reverse of the coin at left. It also shows the variety that lacks the motto above the eagle. If the coin is actually a 45, the PCGS web site lists its cost at a dealer as $300. Mintage was 3,546,000 coins.
I currently own one example of each type mentioned in the title above in the U.S. Types album, costing $60 and $80 and being worth at least $110 each today. One of those two is the coin above, of the lettered edge type, and seems to be a VF 20 in grade. This coin is slightly larger than the 1838 example above but fit in the album because the slot was made for it.		This is the reverse of the coin at left. It does have a deep wear scar above the eagle's beak. There are three coins minted this year that are slightly different and this one seems to be the one with the large date and large letters on the reverse. It also has the motto above the eagle.
This appears to be an F 12 coin (with some detail of a higher grade) worth about $150 if not scratched with graffiti. I got it for $104.50. It is stored in the Miscellaneous album of halves and dollars.		This also seems to be an F12 coin but does not have as much detail of the higher grades and is badly damaged; there is a hole in the obverse and the reverse (not imaged) is badly scratched. I bought it for $76 and it would be worth $160 otherwise. It is also stored in the Misc album.

In 1809 the steamboat is patened. James Madison becomes president. The USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) is recomissioned as the flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron. In 1811 there are many battles in many wars, including The Battle of Calderon Bridge in the Mexican War of Independence, The Battle of Gabora, with France defeating Spain, The Citadel Massacre in Egypt, The Battle of Barrosa, in which the Spanish defeated the French, The Battle of Lissa, where the British defeat the French, The Battle of Anholt, where the British defeat Denmark, and others. A volcanic eruption creates Sabrina Island in the Azores, and the Great Comet of 1811 was discovered in March. It reached a magnitude of about zero and was visible to the naked eye for almost 9 months. By September the comet was in Ursa Major which made it easily seen by almost everyone in the Northern hemisphere. By early October the comet displayed a tail 25 degrees long. Unfortunately, the comet will not be back for almost 3,000 years.

1833: March 2: President Andrew Jackson signs the Force Bill, which authorizes him to use troops to enforce Federal law in South Carolina. March 4:  Andrew Jackson is sworn in for his second term as President of the United States. June 6:  Andrew Jackson becomes the first U.S. President to ride a railroad train. August 12: The city of Chicago is established at the estuary of the Chicago River by 350 settlers. November 12–13:  Stars Fell on Alabama: A spectacular occurrence of the Leonid meteor shower is observed in Alabama. December: American Anti-Slavery Society founded in Philadelphia by William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan and the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society is founded; founder members include Sarah Mapps Douglass, Charlotte Forten Grimké and Hetty Reckless.

1834: March 28: The United States Senate censures President Andrew Jackson for his actions in defunding the Second Bank of the United States (censure expunged in 1837). July 7–10:  Anti-abolitionist riots in New York City. August 11–12: Ursuline Convent Riots: A convent of Ursuline nuns is burned near Boston. November 11: The rare 1804 dollar coin is struck by the United States Mint.

1838: January 6:  Samuel Morse first publicly demonstrates the telegraph. January 12:  History of the Latter Day Saint movement:  Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon flee Ohio for Missouri. March 8: The New Orleans Mint strikes its first coinage, 30 dimes. May 26:  Trail of Tears: The Cherokee removal begins with the forced relocation of the Cherokee Native American tribe, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 4,000 Cherokee Indians. June 12:  Iowa Territory is created. At the time of its founding, Iowa Territory encompassed parts of modern-day Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, as well as all of Iowa. September 4:  Potawatomi Trail of Death, the forced relocation of 859 members of the Potawatomi nation from Indiana to Kansas, begins. More than 40 Potawatomi die from disease and the stress of the march. October 27:  Governor of Missouri Lilburn Boggs issues Missouri Executive Order 44 (the "Extermination Order"), ordering the expulsion of all Mormons from the state.