1838 Half Dime

Comments

• rhedden Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭✭✭

  May 3, 2013 3:24AM

  Looks like normal stars to me. Oddly, the best diagnostic for the small stars die marriage is on the reverse. There is a small die break or blob of metal above the "A" in AMERICA. Also note the die rust around Liberty's arm holding the pole. Always glad to bring you 2nd hand info. courtesy of Mr. Half Dime.
  
  
  
  
  

  0
• MrHalfDime Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭✭

  May 3, 2013 5:04AM

  As Rhedden correctly pointed out, no, your coin is not an example of the so-called "Small Stars" 1838 half dime. Without seeing the reverse, we cannot make any determination as to exactly which die marriage it is, but we can definitely eliminate the "Small Stars" as a possibility.
  
  Like so many of the Liberty Seated half dimes, catalogers and numismatists over the years have given some of the varieties quaint little names in an attempt to help identify them, but more often than not the monikers merely serve to confuse and mislead collectors. The sobriquet "Small Stars" for the 1838 half dime is one such example. When Rhedden presented his excellent pictured example of the 1838 V1 "Small Stars", on another forum, I responded with this information, that hopefully you will find helpful in identifying your half dime.
  
  Please note that while the die crack, or mini cud, above A2 that Rhedden pointed out does serve to confirm the V1 "Small Stars" attribution for his specific example, that diagnostic is not present on early die states of the V1, and because a different reverse die was used on the V2 "Small Stars" variety, it is not present on the V2, either. Overall, the very best diagnostic for either the V1 or V2 "Small Stars" varieties is the presence of excessive die rust at Miss Liberty's arm. This variety should have been designated either "Heavily Rusted Obverse", or "Heavily Lapped Obverse", which are both significantly more descriptive.

  They that can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin

  0
• rhedden Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭✭✭

  May 3, 2013 5:22AM

  Thanks for clarifying the reverse diagnostics, Mr.HalfDime. I had forgotten some of the details you told me a few years back! I have not seen a legit "small stars" without the extra metal above the "A" in AMERICA, now that I think about it.

  0
• cameron12x Posts: 1,384 ✭✭✭

  May 3, 2013 6:16AM

  Thanks guys!
  
  Please excuse the poor quality, but here is a photo of the reverse:
  
  
  
  I processed the obverse image to give it a better appearance, but I can't adjust for poor focus or depth of focus!
  
  Thoughts on a die marriage?
  

  0