Randy Wiley and Bill Bugert......

Comments

• LindeDad Posts: 18,766 ✭✭✭✭✭

  August 15, 2013 11:13AM

  Considering that the reference book is almost impossible to find many do not collect by it. That plus the fact the series has way too many low mintage coins lessons the crowd also.

  My Current project....https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mysetregistry/album/160794

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• TPRC Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭✭✭

  August 15, 2013 11:14AM

  Theirs is THE reference on seated halves and yes, there are many variety collectors....just ask Rick Uhrich or Dick Osburn...they make a living, in part, on them. I "varietize" all of my coins, including my seated halves, but I would not call myself a seated half variety collector. However, seated half varieties can be a lot of fun, because, unlike other coins of the era, many dealers don't bother checking for varieties, so one can still find better varieties with a little luck by being diligent.

  Tom

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• LogPotato Posts: 2,177 ✭✭✭✭

  August 15, 2013 11:21AM

  
  
  << <i>Considering that the reference book is almost impossible to find many do not collect by it. That plus the fact the series has way too many low mintage coins lessons the crowd also. >>
  
  
  
  I just sold one to Rich Ulrich, so not entirely impossible.
  
  It's a very large set by itself, but there collectors on this forum that do look for the varieties. Southcounty comes to mind off the top of my head. Whenever I purchase one, it's the first thing I look up.

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• ebaybuyer Posts: 2,984 ✭✭✭

  August 15, 2013 11:40AM

  seated half dollar varieties are alive and well, its a serious bunch

  regardless of how many posts I have, I don't consider myself an "expert" at anything

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• DavidLawrence Posts: 277 ✭✭

  August 15, 2013 12:01PM

  We posted the entire book online, for free, for everyone's access. I personally use the online version all the time.
  
  link to The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars
  
  enjoy...
  

  John Feigenbaum

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• DaveG Posts: 3,535 ✭

  August 15, 2013 12:09PM

  I don't know how many collectors are starting to collect by die variety, but Bil/Randy are working of expanding on the die variety information in their original book by publishing die variety registers for each mint (available at Wizard Coin Supply, among others, no doubt).

  Check out the Southern Gold Society

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• RichieURich Posts: 8,522 ✭✭✭✭✭

  August 18, 2013 5:47AM

  
  
  << <i>How well followed is their reference on seated halves?
  
  Are there collectors who buy seated halves by die variety? >>
  
  
  
  To answer your questions, the W-B hardbound book is considered the "Bible" for collectors of Liberty Seated half dollars. The book is very scarce because the collectors who have one generally use it regularly and don't want to part with it. We buy whenever the price is reasonable, and we often have them for sale.
  
  There are a lot of collectors who buy Liberty Seated half dollars by die variety. The 1840-(O) No Mintmark Medium Letters, the 1842-O Small Date Small Letters, the 1844-O Doubled Date, the 1847/6, the 1849 Dramatically Doubled Date, the 1875-S Micro s, the 1876 Large over Small Date, and the 1877 Transitionals are very popular varieties in the series. I do know several collectors who endeavor to collect all of the varieties in the W-B book.
  
  Full Disclosure: I am a large dealer in Bust and Seated silver coins, and Bill Bugert is one of my table assistants and also my consultant on Seated halves.

  An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.

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• Barberian Posts: 3,837 ✭✭✭✭✭

  October 31, 2013 6:55AM

  I certainly determine the variety of each seated liberty half I buy and will bid on other interesting or rare varieties when I find them.
  
  I appreciate DLRC for making Wiley and Bugert's reference available to the public for free.

  3 rim nicks away from Good

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