What is up with the price people are willing to pay for the 1820 O-104a CBH?

opportunity

I have been watching examples of this variety for a while now go for obscene amounts of money for what really amounts to a very esoteric die state that in many cases would garner little interest. I guess you never stop learning, so I would be delighted if someone would enlighten me as to why this is the case for this particular die state? Any thoughts?

lilolme

Will need someone with the latest BHNC numbers but both the below website and coinfacts/PC guide list it as a rarity of R 7?. I learned previously that the ? means it could be off and is an estimate. I don't know how popular die state collecting is and if R7? die states would bring the $. But if you have been seeing several then I would wonder about the rarity or perhaps the $ is just bringing them out.

http://www.maibockaddict.com/1820-o-104-r4-knob-2-capped-bust-half-dollar.shtml

COCollector

In the Autumn 2021 issue of "Auction & Mail Bids Prices Realized", there's a note that 1820 O-104a was DELISTED by BHNC in 2020 as "not known to exist".

That means no new slabs are attributed O-104a, right?

So, maybe the R7? rating is suggested by the rarity of existing O-104a slab labels.

And FWIW, that issue of AMBPR lists the rarity as R5, not R7 -- but only pre-2020 auction results are shown.

pursuitofliberty

Can you show a couplie recent auctions or sales of a 104a? I'd like to review reasonable pictures. Also, prices realized would be interesting, since all 1820's tend to trade for strong money, I'd be curious to the premium paid.

Based on my knowledge I am skeptical a true 104a exists. The BHNC doesn't list one. When it comes to Die States, I'll plug it again; buy the study ... "Die State Progressions of the Capped Bust Half Dollar Die Varieties ..." from the BHNC, 2022. Available on David Kahn's website.

Something to consider when looking at Die States that , especially when getting ready to lay down real money. Unless ALL markers exist, the Die State condition is not met. This isn't to say it has to be as fully formed as it will become, or a strong feature, but to qualify for a particular Overton Die State (the 'a' and 'b' states often listed), if it says "and a die chip at the edge ..." as it does for this particular coin, then that condition must exist, however faint the marker.

That is the issue with the supposed 1820 "O-104a". No one seems to have seen the die chip, and so we are not showing a known 104a.