1803 "small 8" half dime - a rare variety
rhedden
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Here is a (somewhat blurry) photo of an 1803 "Small 8" half dime, Valentine-3, one of the very rare varieties in the Draped Bust series, with only ~25 pieces believed to exist (rated R6). This piece was off the market since at least before 1960, and perhaps as far back as the 1930's. It was part of a private collection of 323 half dimes that I gladly purchased in its entirety last winter (sorry, not for sale). If you check the PCGS population report on this variety, you will see that only 6 coins have been encapsulated in all grades, including re-submissions, and none grade higher than EF-40. This particular coin has a 0% chance of being slabbed thanks to two fairly nasty scratches on the obverse, and surface roughness on the reverse that has obliterated some of the detail. It's also been dipped, and it wouldn't surprise me if it had been bent at one time (although it's straight now). However, the obverse has XF/AU hair detail and nice album toning; the hair is much sharper than what my camera was able to capture. Interestingly, if one looks up this variety in A Guide Book of United States Coins by R.S. Yeoman, he will see that this variety has historically carried little or no premium over its much commoner "large 8" counterparts (V-1 and V-2). The argument I will surely hear is that nobody collects these little, tiny things by variety, so they are just type coins, and they all trade for the same price. However, that is not true at all. There are at least 3 board members who collect early half dimes by date and variety, including myself, and that is just on these boards. I have to wonder if the Red Book has been ignorant of the prices at which these coins truly trade, or if collectors/dealers have been ignorant of the rarity of the "small 8" variety. Any historical insight would be appreciated.
Edited 10/10/2018 to add: Pics of my coin that disappeared from this old thread. I no longer own this coin.
Edited 10/10/2018 to add: Pics of my coin that disappeared from this old thread. I no longer own this coin.
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A bit of a rough coin, but still like it
Dennis
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Regarding the PCGS population figures, you can reduce that 6 down to 5. My 1803 half dime is in a PCGS VG08 holder marked "small 8", but it definitely is the "large 8" variety. I bought it as a "large 8" from B&M several years ago and they acknowledged that the holder was inproperly labeled. So your coin is even rarer than you thought !!!
You are fortunate to own such a coin, despite any flaws, this coin has to be one of the finer known specimens,
sorry I don't have any information over what Breen says, there are experts here who have held such a coin an looked at it, but like almost all on here I have never seen one in person.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
All due respect to the Red Book, that is truly a rare coin! Congratulations! In the pending JRCS Bust half dime census, just sent to the printer's yesterday, we show this still as an R6, with just two specimens reported in the present census. This is partially due to a lower than expected participation, but also due to several major collections being sold at auction, or about to be sold, since the last census (2001). The Russ Logan, Ed Price, Jules Reiver and William A. Harmon collections have been dispersed, and were not reported in this census. We listed 'archived collections', for significant collections that have either been sold or that are about to be sold (i.e., Reiver). The finest known is an MS-60, which was in the spectacular and complete collection of Ed Price. Believe it or not, his 'second' collection example was also MS-60! There is an EF-45 example that was reported in this most recent census, and my own VF-30 (this example was in a SEGS slab at EF-40, but I downgraded it). Other known specimens grade EF-40, and VF-20, with most others lagging far behind. The overall condition census would read something like:
(60,60,45,40,30,20)
You are correct, that there are a few of us Draped Bust half dime die marriage collectors out there - a small but passionate group of devotees. The 1803 Small 8 is an eyeball variety, that can easily be identified even without specialized knowledge, as the 8 is noticeably smaller than the adjacent digits, as seen on your image. That is definitely a keeper.
I understand that the hoard of half dimes you acquired is not for sale, but I would love to learn just what is in that group. PM me if you would, and let me know what is there. From what you say, they would not have appeared in any JRCS census.
And who says there is nothing of interest to be found anymore?
Maybe someday another forum member may be fortunate enough to acquire one and that will be a cool day.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Wow... the second post on this type coin today.... That is unusual for a coin that is rarely discussed at any time.... Cheers, RickO
This is a necro-post from Dec. 2005. Back from the dead, resurrected by Baley!
Here is my example. NGC graded it VF-35 despite the scratch on the obverse. With those coins, you buy what you can find, if you can buy it at all. I saw a second one in a small New England auction about 20 years ago that was in a PCI holder. It was similar to this one.
Yes, "The Red Book" does have a habit of placing the same values on varieties of coins with the same date unless the variety is famous.
Here is the other 1803 half dime, the large date. I bought this coin from the late Bruce Longyear who worked a JJ Teaparty for a while and was an independent deatler also. This is the second most common date among the 1800 to 1805 half dimes, ahead of the 1800.
I have yet to find one with a hole in it. Also, an 1805 but OT.