I would like to know about this 1835 Half Dime.

Comments

• STONE Posts: 15,275 ✭

  October 4, 2013 6:52AM

  While Barndog and MrHalfDime can answer this better than I can, I will give it a quick shot.
  
  There are Large and Small Date varieties as well as Lg 5c and Sm 5c varieties for this date.
  This is a Small Date, Small 5c variety, although off-hand I do not know the LM variety.
  
  On some of the small date versions the dates are wavy like this, but some are also fairly straight.
  
  This is just one of the interesting things about the die making process...seeing these outcomes!

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• Unknown

  October 4, 2013 6:57AM

  This content has been removed.
• Type2 Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭✭

  October 4, 2013 7:43AM

  Thanks guys. That is one book i dont have one about Half Dimes.

  
  
  Hoard the keys.

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• MrHalfDime Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭✭

  October 5, 2013 8:36AM

  As has been mentioned, your 1835 Capped Bust half dime is an example of the LM-10/V7 die marriage, a very common coin. Indeed, it may even be the single most common die marriage in the entire series. It is what the Redbook describes as a "Small Date, Small 5C" variety. Although common, your coin is a nice example of the type, albeit with a few obverse dings on Miss Liberty's face. This die marriage can be easily identified not only by the small date numerals, but by the very low 3 you observed. Remember that the date numerals were punched into the working dies individually, by hand during this period of the Mint's history, and this was done in actual size, without the benefit of large plaster models and the reducing lathe. The die sinker's own hands would have covered his work as he punched the individual numerals into the working die, and all done without electric lights. In view of the conditions under which the engravers and die sinkers worked, they actually did a very good job.
  
  You will note that the upper loop of S2 (second S in STATES) is filled on your example, as the corresponding piece of the die had broken away early in the life of this reverse die, allowing coin silver to fill the void in the die as the coin was struck. This phenomenon is seen on virtually all examples of this die marriage, as the broken upper loop of S2 occurred very early in the life of this die. You may want to look for a very early die state example of this same die marriage, without the filled upper loop of S2. That die state of this very common die marriage is actually quite scarce, even rare.

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

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