More 1840 half dimes, "O" mints
rhedden
Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭✭✭
I meant to post one thread with all of these 1840 half dimes, "P" and "O" mints combined, but the size of the pictures made me think otherwise. So the "P" mints are in a different thread. The first coin below is a personal favorite, an 1840-o No Drapery coin that I grade AU-50 (it has luster in-hand), which exhibits vibrant colors (original, not a dipped piece). I'm sure that will be a favorite with the board members. The 1840-o No Drapery is a rare coin in Unc. that is overlooked by collectors because of it's big brother, the 1840-o With Drapery (very rare). I shouldn't point this out until I buy all the Unc. No Drapery coins on the market, but check the PCGS pop. report for the No Drapery variety, and you will see what I mean- it is very underrated.
The other coins below are somewhat lower grades, but I like them anyway. The second No drapery coin is an attractive, original circ. piece. The third No Drapery piece is bent/straightened and dipped/retoned, unfortunately, but it a faintly repunched date, adding some interest. The first With Drapery example is an original and crusty VG-10, and a better example would break the bank, so I won't knock it. The second With Drapery example is just a Good, but it has attractive colors.
The other coins below are somewhat lower grades, but I like them anyway. The second No drapery coin is an attractive, original circ. piece. The third No Drapery piece is bent/straightened and dipped/retoned, unfortunately, but it a faintly repunched date, adding some interest. The first With Drapery example is an original and crusty VG-10, and a better example would break the bank, so I won't knock it. The second With Drapery example is just a Good, but it has attractive colors.
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<< <i>Nice coins, but the simulated wood background is genious!
Jonathan
It is a real pleasure to look at your beautiful half dimes, particularly the 1840-Os, one of my favorite dates in the series. Your comments about the unheralded 1840-O NO Drapery half dimes are right on the money. It is an unrecognized rarity, and perhaps a 'sleeper' in the series (no one else is reading this, right?
One of the rarest die marriages for the 1840-Os is the V6 Transitional, which is presently an R6. Since this is just between us, and no one else will read this, I can divulge a short-cut secret method for easily attributing the V6 Transitional. There has been much in print about how to identify this variety, usually involving long descriptions of 'open bud' and 'closed bud' wreaths which typically do nothing more than cause one's eyes to roll back into their heads and put people to sleep. Here is a quick way to identify it. Look at the reverse of your first pictured coin, and look closely at the leaves at either side of the word DIME. You will see that there are four (4) leaves in each cluster. Now look at the reverse of your fourth coin, and you will see that there are three (3) leaves in each cluster. What you are looking for on the V6 is the NO Drapery obverse mated with the 3 leaf reverse. It is a mule, or Transitional piece, pairing the old No Drapery obverse with the new reverse intended for use with the With Drapery obverse. If you cannot remember what I have told you, simply look for the old No Drapery obverse, used on all 1837, 1838, 1839, and some 1840 half dimes, paired with the 3 leaf reverse used on all 1841 - 1853 half dimes, and you will have cherrypicked an R6 coin (this is just between us
Your half dimes appear to be as follows:
First Coin - V3 Small O
Second Coin - Can't quite tell
Third Coin - V9 Small O (always seen with a weakly struck head and bow)
Fourth Coin - WD V5
Fifth Coin - Perhaps another V5, or V7
I recently purchased the nicest 1840-O V5 With Drapery half dime that I have ever seen (the COIN, not necessarily the number on the insert - I have seen higher numbers, but not nicer coins). I am sorry that I am unable to post an image of it, as I do not have a digital camera. It belonged to a friend and fellow collector who had assembled a very high grade complete (by date and mint) collection of Liberty Seated half dimes. I had actually brokered the sale of this coin to him two years ago, as I was helping him to locate a high grade example of that rare date. This past summer, he elected to sell his complete collection at auction with ANR (William H. Labelle Sale July 2005). Prior to the auction, I pursuaded him to sell me his fabulous RAW AU-55 1840-O WD V5, and in partial payment I traded to him my own example that I had graded EF-40. That coin (my old coin) was sent to a TPG prior to the sale, and it came back as AU-55 (which I do not believe it is). It can be seen here:
http://www.anrcoins.com/lotdetail.aspx?lrid=AN00025187
So appartently what I did was to upgrade from one AU-55 example for another AU-55 example, and it only cost me several thousand dollars for the privilege. However, if you saw the two coins side by side, you would have done the very same thing.
I also recently acquired, from the William A. Harmon/Heritage sale a very nice example of the 1840-O With Drapery V7, with the obverse die crack that runs parallel to the pole. It can be seen here:
http://coins.heritagegalleries.com/common/view_image_only.php?img=http://images.heritagecoin.com/images/HNAI/300/384/384007283o.jpg
I also acquired a beautiful example of the 1840 WD V7 from the same sale. It can be seen here:
http://coins.heritagegalleries.com/common/view_image_only.php?img=http://images.heritagecoin.com/images/HNAI/300/384/384007281o.jpg
It is a perfect companion to a beautiful MS-63 example of the 1840 WD V8 that I purchased from board member Bill Jones a few years ago.
The 1840-Os present a real challenge to the die marriage, or variety, collector, and you are well on your way to a very nice set.
Your final 1840-O With Drapery V7 blew me away. That is the nicest 1840-O WD I have seen. I hope to own one half as nice some time soon. Wish you could post the "other" AU-55 V-5 that you snatched before the Harmon auction. I totally missed out on that auction because I was too busy at work to care about coins for the past 8 months (too bad for me).