Bust Half Literature
The following is a chronological compilation of literature that has been published on or about Early United States Half Dollars. Some of these may contain out of date information that is superseded by newer works, however all should be studied for a better education and understanding of Bust Halves.
Catalog of the Haseltine Type Table - Published as an auction catalog by Philadelphia coin dealer John Haseltine, 1881. This was the first published listings of die marriage descriptions for the Bust Quarter, Bust Halves and Bust Dollars.
A Register of Half Dollar Die Varieties and Sub-Varieties. - by Martin L. Beistle, 1929. This work covered all Half Dollars from 1794 - 1929.
Early Half Dollar Die Varieties A Supplement - by Al C. Overton, 1964. This work lists those die marriages discovered since the Beistle work in 1929.
Bust Half Dollar Major Die Varieties - by Pat Patton, 1967. This work lists only the “major” varieties through 1836 and does not cover every known die marriage.
Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794 - 1836 - by Al C. Overton, 1967. This was an all new work just covering half dollars up to 1836 of the lettered edge type, however every die marriage is not pictured.
Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794 - 1836 Revised Edition - by Al C. Overton, 1970. A complete revision of the 1967 work (including a new numbering system) with additional die marriages listed. Again however, every die marriage is not pictured.
Supplement to Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794 - 1836 Revised Edition - by the BHNC, 1981. A listing and pictures of additional die marriages (10) that had been discovered since the 1970 edition.
America’s Silver Coinage 1794 - 1891 - Coinage of the Americas Conference at the American Numismatic Society, New York, 1986. Several papers were presented on Half Dollars including the Leaman/Gunnet study of edge dies.
Supplement to Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794 - 1836 Revised Edition - by the BHNC, 1987. A listing and pictures of additional die marriages (13) that had been discovered since the 1970 edition. Also included was a listing of revised rarity ratings for every die marriage.
Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794 - 1836 3rd Edition - by Al C. Overton, Edited by Don Parsley 1990. Another revised work accomplished by Al Overton’s son-in-law. Every die marriage is now pictured at two and a half times the size of a half dollar.
Johann Matthaus Reich Also Known as John Reich - by Stewart Witham, 1993. Background and biographical information on Assistant Mint Engraver John Reich, who was the designer and engraver of the Capped Bust Halves starting in 1807.
Bust Half Fever 1807 - 1836 1st Edition - by Edgar Souders, 1995. A book about the striking characteristics and various nuances of the die marriages of Lettered Edge Capped Bust Half Dollars from 1807 - 1836 and the “fever” associated with collecting and pursuing them.
Bust Half Dollar Bibliomania - by Bradley S. Karoleff, 1996. An annotated guide to the literature pertaining to the Capped Bust Half Dollar series.
Contemporary Counterfeit Capped Bust Half Dollars 1st Edition - by Keith R. Davignon, 1996. This work is a listing of known contemporary counterfeit Bust Half dollars by die marriage.
The Ultimate Guide To Attributing Bust Half Dollars - by Glenn R. Peterson, M.D., 2000. A new method of attributing Lettered Edge Capped Bust Half Dollars from 1807 - 1836. This work also includes pricing for each die marriage and therefore updated editions have been published.
Bust Half Fever 1807 - 1836 2nd Edition - by Edgar Souders, 2006. A revised and updated edition of the previous work.
United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794 - 1836 4th Edition - by Don Parsley, 2006. Another revised work accomplished by Al Overton’s son-in-law. Includes all but one new die marriages discovered since the 1990 Third Edition.
Contemporary Counterfeit Capped Bust Half Dollars 2nd Edition - by Keith R. Davignon, 2010. A revised and updated edition of the previous work. Includes new die marriages discovered since the first edition.
United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794 - 1836 5th Edition - by Don Parsley, 2014. Another revised work accomplished by Al Overton’s son-in-law. Includes all die marriages discovered since the 1990 Third Edition.
Early United States Half Dollars Volume 1 / 1794 - 1807 - by Steve M. Tompkins, 2015. A whole new work on the subject, now incorporating all die marriages in emission sequence, with a new numbering system. Includes up to date information on all known die marriages for the dates covered, with pictorial pedigrees of the R-6 to R-8 marriages. Quick finder charts and pictorial identifiers help for easier attribution, along with high quality color images. This is the first of a proposed four volumes, covering 1794-1836.
Die State Progressions of Capped Bust Half Dollars 1807 - 1836 - by Bust Half Nut Club, 2022. An exhaustive study of the die state progressions of the Overton die marriages. Each die crack or other feature is listed in the order it appeared on the obverse and reverse dies.