just how many different 1843 shattered reverse half dimes are there ?

ebaybuyer

in researching these, I found at least two entirely different shattered reverse dies, are there more than two different ? is either one very tough ?

MrHalfDime

This is one of those times when I really wish I could post pictures. Yes, there are (at least) two shattered reverse varieties for the 1843 Liberty Seated half dime. Valentine presents his V4 with just the brief description:

Rev: Badly cracked die of No. 2.

... but at least he does provide us with a photographic plate of the reverse, so we can see the pie shaped die cracks through T3 (second T of STATES), another through A2 (first A of AMERICA), and a third from M of DIME, through the bow, and to the rim at 6:00. These die cracks all converge at the center of the reverse, at A of HALF and M of DIME.

The second known shattered reverse variety for 1843 is shown on page 38 of the Gobrecht Journal Collective Volume #1, in a Kam's Korner article. For this distinctly different reverse, there are four (4) large die cracks which converge in the center of the reverse, one from T1 of UNITED, a second from 12:00 between ES of STATES, a third from M of AMERICA, and the fourth from the rim just beyond A3 (last A of AMERICA). This variety is, as yet, unnumbered.

There may well be more shattered reverse varieties for the year 1843 (there are four (4) shattered reverse varieties for the year 1847), but these are all that are documented to date.

ebaybuyer

so this is V4 ?

ebaybuyer

the pic isn't mine, mine is a little bit nicer

yosclimber

Here's the other 1843 cracked reverse which Mr. Half Dime described.
Note the 5th light crack from S1.

Here's the die pairing:

from a 2009 post ATS:
http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3103955
In the post, RGT mentioned the the current LSCC census was 31 for V4 and 15 for the above variety.
Also, Blythe's description of V4 is incorrect - it is a combination of these 2 varieties.
Fortunately we have Mr. Half Dime here, with his accurate descriptions of both.

Here is a description from a 2005 Heritage auction which also matches the above image (and sounds like a later die state with a 6th crack):


<< <i>there is a major bisecting die crack down through the lower right serif of the E in STATES which continues downward through the left upper serif of the L in HALF, the right leg of the M in DIME, and out the rim to the right of the final A in AMERICA missing both that letter and the end of the branch. Secondary cracks are found through the right side of the T of UNITED which meets the primary crack through DIM just below the centers of those letters. A lighter die crack extends down from the rim, grazes the lower right side of the first S of STATES, top right portion of H, middle of A in HALF and connects to the primary crack just at the left side of the L. The last major crack extends from the rim through the left leg of the M in AMERICA, through the center of F to the lower third of the L in HALF where it meets the primary crack. A much fainter die crack extends down the right side of the M to the lower left base serif in E of AMERICA to the wreath below. >>


http://coins.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=384&lotIdNo=7290

MrHalfDime

"so this is V4 ?"

Yes, it is a V4.

Great picture of the second shattered reverse variety, yosclimber!

ebaybuyer

here it is !



with mr halfdime's expertise, I can call it a V4 what looks like a rim bump on the obv is actually a small rim cud. such a nice little original piece, I kinda wish I collected half dimes !

ebaybuyer

has a golden glow to it, my scanner cannot duplicate the true color

yosclimber

Cool - thanks for showing the obverse.
Is the slab photo you posted earlier also of this same coin?

ebaybuyer

no, the slab pic wasn't my coin, I just used the slab pic for a comparison photo