Bust Half question: "Curly 2" 1827 and 1828

LanLord

Everything I read about the curly 2 variety for 1827 and 1828 is that they are no more rare than the square 2 variety.

My experience has been much the opposite, perhaps I was just hitting an unlucky streak, but it took me over a year to

find even one of those varieties, and it was an additional 6 to 9 months before I found one (of each) that I would be happy with owning.

Anyone else collect by die marriages have similar (or even opposing) opinion or experience?

I must have gone to 3 or 4 moderate to large shows and at least a half dozen small ones, as well as visiting coin dealers in 4 different states.

LanLord

No answers? No interest? Or did I finally succeed in pizzing everyone off?

Barndog

For the 1827, there are a number of square-2 die marriages, some of which are just R-1 to R-2. For the 1827 curled base 2, there are just two die marriages (someone correct me if my memory has failed), one is R-2 and one is R-4. So I can see how you would find it difficult to locate a curled base 2 variety. For 1828, there are (relative to the 1827) more die marriages with the curled base 2, some of which are R-1 and R-2. I haven't searched for either much this year, so can't comment on prevalence in the market.

Tootawl

<< <i>No answers? No interest? Or did I finally succeed in pizzing everyone off? >>


Sometimes you have to wait more than 16 minutes for an answer.

LanLord

<< <i>

<< <i>No answers? No interest? Or did I finally succeed in pizzing everyone off? >>

Sometimes you have to wait more than 16 minutes for an answer. >>

I have all the patience of a starving infant.

OnlyBuffalos

Your observation is correct that here are far more square base 2 1827 half dollars available than the curl 2 type (Overton 146 & 147).

The reason why the curl 2 type are not much more costly than the square base 2, is due to the fact that many collectors of bust half dollars collect by Overton variety and thus Overton 147 and 146 are just two of the 149 varities available for the 1827 date. Date collectors of bust halfs typically do not distinguish by varieties within date so the curl 2 is not a factor for most date collectors.

Another interesting fact is that many price guides list the 1827 square base type to be more expensive even though the availability ratio of square base to curl base is around 25 to 1.

busco69

I also agree that the curl base is harder to find.

OKbustchaser

Based on around 15 years of hord...errrr... collecting 1827's I would say that the square base 2 probably outnumbers the curled 2 by about 50 to 1. However, year collectors don't need an example and there are more than enough curled 2's to support the Redbook and Overton collectors so there is no price pressure on them.

As for 28's the ratio is closer to 20 to 1 but again, only Redbook and Overton collectors need them.

Jim

Barndog

there's so much good information to be found in the archives of this forum!