1 Specializing in Liberty Seated Half Dollars Dick Osburn

2 References 1. Beistle, M. L., A Register of Half Dollar Die Varieties and Sub-Varieties. Shippenburg, Pensylvania: The Beistle Company, Taxay, Don, The Comprehensive Catalog and Encyclopedia of U. S. Coins. New York: Scott Publishing Company, Breen, Walter. Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Coins. New York: F. C. I. Press, Inc. and Doubleday, Breen, Walter. Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Proof Coins. New York: F. C. I. Press, Inc. and Doubleday, Wiley, Randy; and Bugert, Bill, The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars. Virginia Beach, Virginia: DLRC Press, The Gobrecht Journal. Three times yearly publication of the Liberty Seated Collector’s Club. 7.The Gobrecht Journal, Collective Volumes 1-4. Published by the Liberty Seated Collector’s Club. 8.Flynn, Kevin, Two Dates are Better Than One, A Collector’s Guide to Misplaced Dates. Rancocas, New Jersey: KCK Press, Lloyd, Lloyd M., The Varieties of 1854 New Orleans Liberty Seated Half Dollars, Published by Mike Lloyd, 1998.

3 Series Characteristics DesignerChristian Gobrecht First official issue1839 no drapery Last issue1891 Mints Philadelphia San Francisco New Orleans Carson City Total dates/mintmarks108 Total varieties306 in Wiley/Bugert reference ~500 estimated Total die marriages~2500 estimated

4 Design Transitions YEAROld TypeNew TypeComments 1839No DraperyWith DraperyMajor 1842Small Date/ LettersLarge Date/ LettersMinor No ArrowsArrows & RaysMajor Arrows & RaysArrows OnlyMajor Arrows OnlyNo ArrowsMajor Type 1 Rev HubType 2 Rev HubVery Minor 1866No MottoWith MottoMajor Old Rev HubNew Rev HubVery Minor 1873No ArrowsArrowsMajor ArrowsNo ArrowsMajor Type 1 Rev HubTransitional Rev HubMinor Type 2 Rev HubMinor

5 Seated Half Rarity By Date and Mintmark (all varieties included) R7+3 known1853-O No Arrows R5~50 known1878-S R3Less than , 1852-O, 1870-CC, 1878-CC 1871-CC, 1874-CC R2Less than O SD, 1846-O TD, 1850, S, 1856-S, 1857-S, 1866-S NM 1872-CC, 1873-CC NA, 1873-CC WA 1885, 1886, 1887

6 Seated Half Rarity By VarietyValue (XF) Unknown1880, Type 1 reverse Unique1866, No motto (Actually a pattern, only known piece is lost) 1 known1877, WB-101, Type 1 reverse 1-2 known1842, Small data and letters$35,000+? 3 known1851, WB-104, 8 in denticles5,000? ~10 known1877/77 Type 1 reverse (Proof)1, S, WB-104, Micro S1,000 ~15 known1849/1849, WB-102, Dramatically Doubled Date5, S, WB-103, Tail Hub Variety 21,000 ~20 known1847/6, WB-1027,500 ~50 known1873, WB-101, No Arrows, Open 39,000 ~250 known1844/1844-O, WB-103, Dramatically Doubled Date2,500

7 Seated Half Rarity The “Not So Rare” 1855/4You can find one or two at any large show 1845-O No DraperyActually a die state, caused by polishing the die (the 1839 ND is the exception) Many other no drapery dates are available 1846/horizontal 6A spectacular, very visible variety, therefore high priced, but not rare 1879 through 1890Rare by mintage, but always available Buy proofs for not much more than G-VG 1885, 1886, and 1887 are rarer than the others 1855-SLouisiana hoard recently dispersed

8 Seated Half Rarity Sleepers 1842-O Large dateCommon date, but very hard to find 1848Moderate price, hard to find 1851Higher priced, but virtually unavailable 1851-OHigher mintage, and common date price Sought by date collectors due to scarcity of OGray sheet under $100 in G/VG Virtually unavailable in all grades 1856-S, 1857-SAs scarce as 1855-S, but at a fraction of the price Civil war issues disappeared 1864-SVery underrated. Virtually unobtainable in AU - MS

9 Interesting Coins 1840 “Medium Letters” reverse Bust half reverse (obverse mintmark) used to strike an 1840-O seated half Result - the “Medium Letters” no mintmark variety, which is actually a New Orleans issue Two coins here for examination medium letters 1840-O, same obv Early New Orleans die usage 1845-O examples here 1846, 6 over horizontal 6 The 1861-O “Confederate” halves Obverse die linked to real 1861 Confederate half dollar issued by the CSA 1866 with misplaced digits (WB-103)

10 Cherry Picking (For fun and profit) The Rules of Engagement Cherry Picking is an honorable pursuit (NOT theft) –You worked hard for the knowledge - YOU EARNED IT!! –Most (but not all) dealers agree Be courteous to a dealer’s other customers –Don’t hog the table When you find something –Complete your search before asking for prices –Ask the price, then pay it or move on –If the dealer asks what you’ve found, tell him

11 Closing Thoughts Get smart - buy the books before the coins Limit your scope - specialize Buy a microscope Series suggestions : Low budgetLincoln cents Jefferson nickels Moderate budget2 cent pieces 3 cent nickels Barbers Trade dollars Big bucksSeated dollars