Seated Half Dime collectors. A question about albums.

MrBreeze

Is there a good Seated Half Dime album? I have Dansco albums for all of the Seated series, but I have not purchased a SHD album, yet. Is the only option the "whole" series book, including those half dimes prior to the SHDs? Is there an album that you like, that is devoted specifically to date/MM of SHDs?

Cladiator

I'm actively searching for a Library of Coins Half Dime album. Whitman made some cool Seated Half Dime albums you might try looking for.

LanLord

<< <i>I'm actively searching for a Library of Coins Half Dime album. Whitman made some cool Seated Half Dime albums you might try looking for. >>

Cladiator, if you find any of the LOC albums for eith bust or seated half dimes, drop me a PM. I've been looking for quite some time with no success.

MrHalfDime

I have had a sort of related "secondary" collection, of half dime albums and storage methods, for several years now, and can offer a bit of insight into the various albums available for Liberty Seated half dimes. Unfortunately, many of the various albums made for half dimes over the years did not separate the various design types (e.g., Capped Bust, Liberty Seated, etc.). Apparently the thinking was that the entire series, from 1792 through 1873, was hardly enough to fill even one album, so they typically combined all of the series into one album.

The Wayte Raymond National coin albums provided two different options for the half dimes, the first being the familiar 8" x 5-1/2" pages in a two ring binder. Unfortunately, this series included holes for the 1794 through 1873-S half dimes, and the demarkation between Capped Bust and Liberty Seated came in the middle of a page (the 1837, 1838, and 1838-O were the last three holes of the first page which included 1794). The second option that Wayte Raymond offered was a single page measuring 14" x 7-1/2", and was for a date set only, with just one hole for each date, 1794 - 1873. This, too, would not meet your needs.

Whitman offered the 'Bookshelf' series of albums several years ago which were, in my opinion, superior to their current 'Classic' series of albums. One of these albums was their stock number 9411, which included pages only for the Liberty Seated half dimes, 1837 - 1873-S, including all branch mint coins. Unlike the 'Classic' series of albums, which allowed pages to be added, the 'Bookshelf' series of albums were permanently bound, preventing the addition of new pages. This is hardly a deterant, however, as they are all done making Liberty Seated half dimes, and no new dates will be added. The newer Whitman 'Classic' series of albums does not (I do not believe) make an album for the Liberty Seated half dimes. Thus, this Whitman 'Bookshelf' album would probably be your best bet.

The Library of Coins series of albums (some of the finest albums ever made, in my opinion) offered their Volume 40, but it also included the entire series of half dimes, from 1794 - 1873-S. These, also, were permanently bound, and did not allow for the addition (or deletion) of pages, and once again, the 1837, 1838, and 1838-O issues were on the same page as earlier dates.

The Dansco half dime albums include the entire series of half dimes, from 1794 - 1873-S, but the albums are assembled using threaded studs, allowing for the addition or deletion of pages. Unfortunately, one page combines the Capped Bust and Liberty Seated half dimes, with the dates 1834 - 1841 all on the same page.

Capitol Plastics offers the ability to have a custom display made to suit your own requirements, and although I do not personally use them, I have a couple of examples in my collection. I was privileged to see a very high grade and complete collection of Liberty Seated half dimes in a custom Capitol Plastics holder, before the collection was sold at auction last summer. It was truly something to behold.

My own preference is to use the Dansco #7000 stock book, with vinyl 2"x2" pages for 12 coins each. I mount my half dimes (ALL raw) in adhesive 2"x2"s, which provide space for detailed notes, with no dangerous staples. Using this display method, I can arrange the coins in any manner I like, and pages can be added or deleted, varieties can be added, and there are no empty "holes" in the collection. I presently have all of my half dimes displayed in 13 consecutively numbered albums, although only one would be required for a date/mint collection of Liberty Seated half dimes.

MrBreeze

I would like to thank each of you for the info. I appreciate it. It's nice to have a place to go for the best information before I buy anything.

291fifth

None of the albums are that good. The coins are so small and thin that they tend to slide under the paper.

Cladiator

If you do end up getting an album for half dimes be very carefull when inserting the coins. The are freakishly thin and can be bent easily.

seanq

I still say these are the best bookshelf albums for oddball collections, or where a standard book is not readily available:

Gardmaster Coin Albums

They are updated versions of the old Harco books, with inert slides for the pages instead of PVC. You can get a book to hold 30 dimes per page, and each page is separated by a paper where you can write dates, attributions, etc.


Sean Reynolds