New addition to the RGS Half Dime Collection
Cladiator
Posts: 18,256 ✭✭✭✭✭
Got me a new bust half dime today 
This little beauty showed up in my office this afternoon and turned what was an ordinary and glum Monday into a spectacular day!
Some may look at this weathered and abused little coin and think nothing of it. Some may find it interesting but nothing to write home about. Still others look at it and see that this sweetheart served her nation well for over a century and a half doing what she was intended to do. I love thinking about whose pocket or hands this coin has passed though. The possibilities are endless. What makes it even more interesting is the incredible rarity of this particular die marriage. All those people spending this tiny little coin on God knows what for so many years and totally unaware that it is among the rarest of the Capped Bust Half Dimes. Man I love this hobby and I do love these half dimes.
The coin is the 1830 LM11/V14 die marriage. Until recently it was considered to carry a rarity factor of 7 (4-12 known to exist). The book, "Federal Half Dimes 1792-1837; Russ Logan & John McCloskey (and Mark Smith)" published in 1998 lists the coin as an R7. The latest half dime census of the John Reich Collectors Society (John Reich Journal, December 2005 Vol. 17 / Issue 1) shows a total of 9 coin reported by members but does list the coin with a rarity rating of 6 (13-30 known to exist). This reflection of the change in the rarity rating is due to the diligent work of some of the JRCS members in tracking and locating existing examples of the marriage (two of those members happen to be fellow forumites here, good job guys). From the current stats on this die marriage there is believed to be 13 examples known to exist which just barely drops it from the R7 category to the R6. What we like to term an R6+ coin.
This die marriage was originally discovered by a gentleman by the name of Gary DiMartini way back in 1978 but stayed unreported for quite some time until Glenn Peterson announced the discovery at the JRCS meeting in New York City on July 30th, 1997. That is when the hunt officially began for this gem and in those 10 years the half dime community has been successful in locating an extra dozen coins.
I believe there is but one of this die marriage in mint state (although I don't know where it lives) and you can easily count on one hand how many are known in AU. The example from the Russ Logan Collection was only a VF coin and the marriage was noticeably absent from the auction of the Jules Reiver Collection not so long ago. The LM11/V14 die marriage is made by the pairing of Obverse Die #4 (for the 2nd use) and Reverse Die M (also for the second use). Two quick pick up points (PUP's) are the letters MERI on reverse that all touch at the bottom and the slightly distant star 6 and star 7 on the obverse.
I was lucky enough to add this wonderful coin to the RGS Half Dime Collection by the grace of an incredible niche in the hobby of numismatics and the incredible people that populate that niche. Thanks go out to those that open doors so generously.
This little beauty showed up in my office this afternoon and turned what was an ordinary and glum Monday into a spectacular day!
Some may look at this weathered and abused little coin and think nothing of it. Some may find it interesting but nothing to write home about. Still others look at it and see that this sweetheart served her nation well for over a century and a half doing what she was intended to do. I love thinking about whose pocket or hands this coin has passed though. The possibilities are endless. What makes it even more interesting is the incredible rarity of this particular die marriage. All those people spending this tiny little coin on God knows what for so many years and totally unaware that it is among the rarest of the Capped Bust Half Dimes. Man I love this hobby and I do love these half dimes.
The coin is the 1830 LM11/V14 die marriage. Until recently it was considered to carry a rarity factor of 7 (4-12 known to exist). The book, "Federal Half Dimes 1792-1837; Russ Logan & John McCloskey (and Mark Smith)" published in 1998 lists the coin as an R7. The latest half dime census of the John Reich Collectors Society (John Reich Journal, December 2005 Vol. 17 / Issue 1) shows a total of 9 coin reported by members but does list the coin with a rarity rating of 6 (13-30 known to exist). This reflection of the change in the rarity rating is due to the diligent work of some of the JRCS members in tracking and locating existing examples of the marriage (two of those members happen to be fellow forumites here, good job guys). From the current stats on this die marriage there is believed to be 13 examples known to exist which just barely drops it from the R7 category to the R6. What we like to term an R6+ coin.
This die marriage was originally discovered by a gentleman by the name of Gary DiMartini way back in 1978 but stayed unreported for quite some time until Glenn Peterson announced the discovery at the JRCS meeting in New York City on July 30th, 1997. That is when the hunt officially began for this gem and in those 10 years the half dime community has been successful in locating an extra dozen coins.
I believe there is but one of this die marriage in mint state (although I don't know where it lives) and you can easily count on one hand how many are known in AU. The example from the Russ Logan Collection was only a VF coin and the marriage was noticeably absent from the auction of the Jules Reiver Collection not so long ago. The LM11/V14 die marriage is made by the pairing of Obverse Die #4 (for the 2nd use) and Reverse Die M (also for the second use). Two quick pick up points (PUP's) are the letters MERI on reverse that all touch at the bottom and the slightly distant star 6 and star 7 on the obverse.
I was lucky enough to add this wonderful coin to the RGS Half Dime Collection by the grace of an incredible niche in the hobby of numismatics and the incredible people that populate that niche. Thanks go out to those that open doors so generously.
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Comments
And look, its not all junked up and damaged like some R-7's/ R-6+'s
Many die marriages or remarriages demonstrate "wear characteristics" similar to those found on your coin. The obverse appears to be VG or thereabouts and the reverse appears to be higher grade (less worn)...maybe VF. I think some of this uneven wear may be due to striking factors. For example, I have two examples of the 1835 LM-4 with reverse cud that have VF to XF+ reverse details but the obverse details barely make F-VF. Anyway, I digress. Nice coin, glad you are happy to add it to your collection!
<< <i>I don't know of any mint state specimens. >>
There is 1 mint state coin listed on the "super secret list" I obtained from the good Doctor during the Denver ANA.
Capped Bust Half Series
Capped Bust Half Dime Series
siliconvalleycoins.com
<< <i>How long do you think it will take to finish the entire marriage set? >>
The marriage set is currently 92 coins. Realistically (with "life" thrown into the mix) I'll be happy to have it completed in the next 15 years. The marriage & re-marriage set is 123 coins and that one may take several decades. Keep in mind that one of the coins required is an R8, unique. Unless more of that marriage is located I'll have to settle with never being technically complete....which is ok by me. I honestly dread the day of completion. I'm having too much fun at this!
<< <i>
<< <i>How long do you think it will take to finish the entire marriage set? >>
The marriage set is currently 92 coins. Realistically (with "life" thrown into the mix) I'll be happy to have it completed in the next 15 years. The marriage & re-marriage set is 123 coins and that one may take several decades. Keep in mind that one of the coins required is an R8, unique. Unless more of that marriage is located I'll have to settle with never being technically complete....which is ok by me. I honestly dread the day of completion. I'm having too much fun at this!
It's great to have a long-term plan. And it's wonderful to make a very significant acquisition towards that collection. Congratulations!
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Man, I gotta get me some rare coins.
What makes this rare die marriage even more interesting is the fact that, as Cladiator stated in his OP, the die marriage was first discovered in 1978 by Gary DiMartini, but for reasons of his own, he refused to share his discovery with the collecting fraternity in the 'usual' manner, by submitting it to a recognized and respected expert for peer review and publication. At the time of its discovery, the expert who was generally accepted for this task was Jules Reiver, who offered to study the discovery piece and write it up in the John Reich Journal (quarterly journal of the John Reich Collectors Society). Gary declined to submit his coin, but many of us were aware of the specific die marriage, and for many years we walked the bourse floors with notes on that die marriage, hoping to find a confirming specimen. For almost twenty years, no other specimens were found. Then, in 1997, Dr. Glenn Peterson found a VG example at his local coin club (of all places), and brought it to the ANA Summer Convention that year to present at the JRCS annual meeting. The new 'discovery' was widely covered in the numismatic press, with front page stories in both Coin World and Numismatic News. I recall sitting in the front row at the JRCS meeting, listening to the fascinating presentation of this new 'confirming specimen' of an extremely rare die marriage, and having another JRCS member quietly pass me a slabbed AU specimen of the same rare die marriage!! I had all I could do to remain calm and quiet during the rest of the presentation. Not only was the coin being shown in this landmark presentation not the only example in the room, it was not even the nicest example in the room! Almost immediately additional specimens started turning up as half dime enthusiasts learned exactly what to look for, but it remains a solid R6 even today. As interest in the Capped Bust half dimes continues to increase, the supply of such R6 varieties does not keep up with demand.