Why Do Some Liberty Seated Coins Have Arrows by the Date?
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While the Liberty Seated design constitutes a single type for each of the denomination on which the design was featured, there are a few important subtypes for most of the related denominations.
The arrows, which some refer to as privy marks, were used during two periods in the Liberty Seated series: 1853-1855 and 1873-1874. These were two periods when the weight of the half dime, dime, quarter, and half dollar changed.
Read the full article here: https://www.pcgs.com/news/why-do-some-liberty-seated-coins-have-arrows-by-the-date
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Interesting article, thanks for the link. I tried to join the e-newsletter link again.... as I do each time you post it. Still no newsletter though. Cheers, RickO
New collectors (and experienced ones as well) should make it a point to read these articles. Good information!
Nice informational article.
Collector
Over 100 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 57 members and counting!
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MS64+ PCGS w/CAC
https://caimages.collectors.com/coinimages/42396/10007282/1853_obv_4.jpg
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
I would question the term “single type.” The Stars Obverse and Legend Obverse Half Dimes and Dimes are definitely different types. I will gladly debate the No Stars pieces as to type or not.
Great article and something I had forgotten over the years.
OLD THREAD ALERT!
Bumping this because of the linked article (also to give our new forum teenagers something to read) and to ask forum member to post a picture of your with arrows seated coins!
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
From my Type Sets:
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
XF 45 (CAC)
AU 58+ (CAC)
Arrows and Rays
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Arrows
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“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
Mr_Spud
AU58 CAC
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
MS64 CAC
Seated Dollar Collection
It will never happen but how cool would it be if the current mint would change (shrink/alter) existing mint products and add arrows to designate a change? James
Congrats! The photos look nice. It's a beautiful coin
It just lacks the character that this one has.
@Southcounty I just love see that off center S mintmark. Why did they do this from what appears to be as designed?
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
Here's another. MS64
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
same funtion as the promote button
That is a great question, the San Francisco mintmarks have a pretty wild history with use of varying mintmark sizes and a variety of different placement locations. I am not aware of any definitive answer as to why they would be so inconsistent on the placement and the sizes. I do plan to draft an article on that 1874-S coin and the unlisted WB variety that it represents in the very near future.
Here is a with arrows cousin from the opposite side of the map. The small arrows for the 1874-P are much more difficult to find than the regular large arrows, which is one reason I couldn't pass on this wholesome looking example.
Seated Dollar Collection
Ooh, that’s nice!
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
What surprises me is that, despite the variety of mintmark sizes and placements, they will use one particular size and similar placement across several dates. For example, 1872-S WB-3 & WB-4, 1874-S WB-2 and WB-5 (same reverse die), and 1875-S WB-1 share the same "medium-small" mintmark size and similar placement tilted backward to the right of the crotch and above the D (OL).
Why is it always on the right side and tilted, and not elsewhere?
The same is true with the "Minute S" being located between the fletching and the left claw for 1873 WB-1, 1874 WB-3 & WB-4,
The small wide S located below the crotch is used in several DMs in 1871, 1874, 1875, and perhaps more dates.
I wonder if there are some sort of landmarks or physical constraints of some kind used to ensure consistent placement.
"Minute S" mintmark locations are confined to the small area between the fletching and the claw on three different reverse dies. Why such tight location conformity?
1873-S WB-1 - from @ARCO for a record price for the grade at that time.
1874-S WB-3 - purchased so PCGS would have something to compare with the WB-4
1874-S WB-4 - the "super rarity" (Bill Bugert 2009) that slept in my SDB for a decade before discovery.
