1815 Capped Bust Quarter Dollar : A Collector’s Guide

The production of 1815 Capped Bust quarters owed largely to an order from the Planter’s Bank of New Orleans, which ordered the coins in July 1815. The United States Mint did not have quarters on hand or dies with which to strike new quarters and asked the Bank to accept dimes instead. In an August 14 letter, the bank reiterated its demand for quarters. Engraver John Reich was tasked to make new designs and 60,000 or 69,000 quarters struck in December were shipped to the Planter’s Bank. A majority of the remainder went to Jones, First and Company, which received an additional 20,000 1815-dated coins in 1816.

Some display E or L counterstamps; both have been known to numismatists since the 1870s. Coins displaying the L counterstamp are scarcer. Ted McAuley wrote in the July 2004 issue of the John Reich Journal that he believes the two counterstamps were created at the Harmonist Community of Economy, in Harmony, Pennsylvania. In this instance, the “E” stands for Economite and the “L” means Leonite.

In Die State III, there is a die clash and repunching at the second T in STATES resulting from lapped dies.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Only known dies (Browning-1). Rarity-1. Collector Eric P. Newman owned two spectacularly toned Superb Gem examples.

Top Population: PCGS MS66+ (1, 3/2024). NGC MS67+ (1, 3/2024). CAC MS67 (0:1 stickered:graded, 3/2024).

• CACG MS67 #592602453: “Colonel” E.H.R. Green; Green Estate; Partnership of Eric P. Newman / B.G. Johnson d.b.a. St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.; Eric P. Newman – $12.50; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. As NGC MS67+* CAC #2037631-009. “Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection, Part II,” Heritage Auctions, November 15, 2013, Lot 33335 – $282,000. Newman novelty insert. “Col.” E.H.R. Green on insert. “The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part IV,” Heritage Auctions, February 23, 2021, Lot 3041 – $198,000; Heritage Auctions, August 24, 2022, Lot 3912 – $168,000. As CACG MS67 #592602453. Heritage Auctions, December 14, 2023, Lot 3026 – $126,000. Vivid rainbow target toning. Curved mark from 5 to star 13.
• NGC MS67* CAC #2037631-010: “Colonel” E.H.R. Green; Green Estate; Partnership of Eric P. Newman / B.G. Johnson d.b.a. St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.; Eric P. Newman; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. As NGC MS67* CAC #2037631-010. “Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection, Part II”, Heritage Auctions, November 15, 2013; “The Collection of Oliver Jung”, Heritage Auctions, August 7, 2014, Lot 5569 – $182,125. Newman novelty insert. “Col.” E.H.R. Green on insert. Vivid rainbow target toning.
• PCGS MS66 #02807894: Hank Rogers, via Stack’s, ca. 1940s; Jimmy Hayes, by sale, ca. early 1970s; “The Jimmy Hayes Collection of United States Silver Coins”, Stack’s, October 1985, Lot 35; E. Richard; “The E. Richard Collection of United States Type Coin”, Stack’s, October 1989, Lot 684; D. Brent Pogue Family. As PCGS MS66 #02807894. “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection, Part I”, Stack’s Bowers / Sotheby’s, May 2015, Lot 1057 – $96,937.50. Struck with clashed dies. Toned. 
• NGC MS66* #3314519-002: As NGC MS66 #698635-008. “The Trane Collection”, Heritage Auctions, May 30, 2003, Lot 5950 – $15,525; Heritage Auctions, May 31, 2007, Lot 866 – $32,200; “The Scott Rudolph Collection”, Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2009, Lot 3717 – $21,850. As NGC MS66* #3314519-002. Heritage Auctions, August 3, 2012, Lot 5108 – $31,725. Regraded by NGC. Star Designation added. Cobalt toning around the periphery. Cobalt spot above 8. Champagne and steel grey centers. Reverse is more pleasing.
• PCGS MS66 #14962425: As NGC MS68 #1727945-050.  Heritage Auctions, July 26, 2003, Lot 6908 – $60,950. As NGC MS67 #1727945-050. “The Haig Koshkarian Collection”, American Numismatic Rarities, March 9, 2004, Lot 532 – $50,600. “The Scott Rudolph Collection”, Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2009, Lot 3718 – $48,875. Coin regraded by NGC. Downgraded one point. Retained the same certification number; “The Joseph C. Thomas Collection, Part Two”, Heritage Auctions, May 28, 2009, Lot 603 – $27,600. As PCGS MS66 #14962425. Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2010, Lot 2503 – $37,375. Crossed to PCGS, where it downgraded by one more point. Darkly toned. Dark spot to the left of eagle’s left wing. Another dark spot to the right of the top and middle arrowhead.
• PCGS MS66 #21817909: “The Joseph C. Thomas Collection, Part One”, Heritage Auctions, April 30, 2009, Lot 2319 – $48,875. Brilliant. Struck with clashed dies. Small diagonal hit above eagle’s head. Nice coin.
• NGC MS65 #1884698-002: Stack’s Bowers, March 26, 2024, Lot 4083 – View.
• NGC MS65 #1922043-001: “The Huber Collection”, Stack’s Bowers, August 25, 2022, Lot 7028 – $15,600. Darkly toned in rose and blue.
• NGC MS65 #4029536-001: Stack’s Bowers, March 25, 2021, Lot 4064 – $11,400. Apricot and antique silver patina.
• NGC MS65 #1900817-005: Heritage Auctions, August 12, 2015, Lot 4017 – $17,625. Struck with clashed dies. Pale rose toning with dark diagonal toning streaks on obverse and reverse. 
• NGC MS65 #4183694-001: Heritage Auctions, January 2004, Lot 5731; Heritage Auctions, April 2005, Lot 6903; Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2015, Lot 4080 – $15,275.
• PCGS MS65 CAC: Bowers and Merena, April 2005, Lot 440; “The Richard C. Jewell Collection”, Stack’s Bowers, August 13, 2011, Lot 7305 – $41,400. Beautiful aqua toning on the obverse. Rainbow target toning on the reverse.
• NGC MS65 #2016039-014: “The Ashland City Collection”, Heritage Auctions, January 11, 2003, Lot 4602 – $11,500. ASHLAND CITY on insert; Heritage Auctions, August 14, 2006, Lot 5169 – $16,100; Heritage Auctions, May 10, 2007, Lot 2085 – $18,975; “The Scott Rudolph Collection”, Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2009, Lot 3715 – $18,400. Heritage Auctions, May 28, 2009, Lot 602 – $16,100. Brilliant. Planchet void to the left of Liberty’s nose. 
• NGC MS65 #566086-001: Heritage Auctions, June 1, 2006, Lot 1298 – $17,250. “The Scott Rudolph Collection”, Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2009, Lot 3716 – $14,950. Darkly toned. Red centers with cobalt and aqua rims.
• NGC MS65 #1634408-001: Heritage Auctions, September 18, 2003, Lot 6631 – $17,250. Brilliant.
• NGC MS65 #129982-001: Heritage Auctions, January 9, 2003, Lot 6634 – $14,950. Darkly toned.

1815 Capped Bust Quarter Dollar, E Counterstamp

The more common of the E and L Counterstamps.

• NGC MS66 #506969-008: Heritage Auctions, January 3, 2007, Lot 905 – $34,500; “The Madison Collection”, Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2008, Lot 2776 – $35,937.50. Pleasing aqua, rose, and reddish gold toning. Small hit below eagle’s right wing.
• NGC MS65 #3898405-001: As NGC MS65 #1746240-004. Stack’s Bowers, May 9, 2013, Lot 235 – $17,625. As NGC MS65 #3898405-001. Stack’s Bowers, August 3, 2017, Lot 2076 – $9,987.50. Reddish gold toning in center, aqua blue peripheries.
• NGC MS63 #284313-001: Heritage Auctions, August 10, 2016, Lot 3719 – $6,462.50. Vivid rust and blue peripheral toning.
• NGC MS62 #4472400-001: Heritage Auctions, August 2, 2017, Lot 3609 – $3,995.
• NGC MS62 #4253976-003: Heritage Auctions, October 3, 2016, Lot 3091 – $4,700. Dark blue and purple toning.
• NGC MS62 #3217273-006: Heritage Auctions, March 25, 2010, Lot 748 – $4,312.50. Aqua, purple, and apricot toning.

1815 Capped Bust Quarter Dollar, L Counterstamp

• PCGS MS63 #46211796: “The James Allaire Millholland (1842-1911) Collection”, Stack’s Bowers, March 22, 2023, Lot 4120 – $10,200. Streaky olive toning. PQ for the grade.
• NGC MS62 #4253976-002: Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2017, Lot 3891 – $4,230.
• NGC AU58 #3577701-001: Heritage Auctions, May 31, 2012, Lot 3624 – $5,175.

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Coin Specifications

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