Discovery Proof Overdate Up for Auction

The first known certified proof 1824/1 overdate Capped Bust half dollar is being offered by Scotsman Coin & Jewelry of St. Louis, Missouri, in its Midwest Summer Sale 2026 auction. Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) has certified the piece as a Proof-63 Overton 101 variety. PCGSCoinFacts estimates that about 750 circulation-strike examples of the 1824/1 overdate have survived, including several Overton varieties. However, until now, no previous proof example was known to either PCGS or Numismatic Guaranty Company, or discussed in any known research literature, according to the Scotsman team.

The proof 1824/1 overdate half dollar originally was acquired by an Ohio collector in 1972, more than a decade before today’s major third-party grading services began operations. Although the collector’s heirs want to remain anonymous, they issued the following statement:

“Our family was deeply honored and humbled to learn that Dad’s 1824/1 proof half dollar had been graded as the finest-known example, with no higher-graded specimen currently known. He began collecting coins at the age of 14 and spent his life studying American numismatics, always captivated by the history, artistry, and stories preserved within each coin. Dad recognized that this coin was something extraordinary, but he never had it formally graded. Discovering its significance after his passing has made the moment both remarkable and bittersweet. Whenever he shared a special coin with us, he would smile and say, ‘Look at this beauty.’ Those simple words captured his genuine joy and appreciation for the treasures he spent a lifetime discovering and preserving.”

James Garcia, who wrote the auction lot description for the piece, stated, “This proof coin was made from perfect dies with extreme precision strikes which brought out the most minute, threadlike details in Liberty’s hair trailing beneath the edge of the Liberty cap. Extreme sharpness like this on an open-collar production could only be achieved by multiple strikes.” 

Garcia says the coin poses many questions. “Why would the mint choose to use an overdate obverse die to strike a proof?” he wonders. “We know of preceding examples, of course. And why use dies from three years prior, rather than from 1823, or even 1822? There are precedents at the United States Mint. Proofs exist of the 1824 cent, dime (1824/2), quarter (1824/2), and quarter eagle [gold $2 1/2] (1824/1). Circulation strikes exist for the 1824/2 half cent. Is the discovery of this new half dollar a predictor of the existence of a proof half cent?” the auction catalog team asked.

The conservative estimate for the discovery coin is $75,000-$90,000. Bidding begins on July 22 and closes on August 7. To learn more, visit Scotsman Coin & Jewelry’s website. 

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