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Does anyone here specialize in early half dimes?
Proofmorgan
Posts: 741 ✭✭✭✭✭
I'm looking into some nice draped half dimes but this is outside of my knowledge base.
Collector of Original Early Gold with beginnings in Proof Morgan collecting.
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We have a few of them, at this time only rare varieties.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Yes. I've been collecting them since the mid 1970s. Here is a link to my set.
coins.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/SetListing.aspx?PeopleSetID=13971&Ranking=all
What would you like to know?
It's interesting that you would say that you only have "the rare varieties." Since the most common varieties, are at least R-3 on the Sheldon rarity scale, and many of those are problem coins or low grade, I was wondering which ones you considered to be "common?" The 1795 is the most common date, but there are 10 known varieties. Only two or three of those are seen with any frequency. The 1800 is also a common date, but you would be hard pressed to find more than two or three at a major show, if that.
As I wrote in the description of my set, "There are no common coins in this set."
I think what Rich said is clear enough - he has 3 R7 draped bust half dime specimens on his site, so what he has are all definitely (extremely) rare.
He didn't say any of this type were common.
I agree with you that all draped bust half dime varieties are rare or scarce:
Date LM Rarity
1796 1 3
1796 2 6
1797 1 3
1797 2 4
1797 3 5
1797 4 6
1800 1 3
1800 2 7
1800 3 4
1800 4 7
1801 1 7
1801 2 4
1802 1 5
1803 1 6
1803 2 4
1803 3 3
1805 1 4
For pricing of high grade specimens, probably the best resources are
PCGS Auction Prices Realized:
pcgs.com/auctionprices/category.aspx?c=92
and Heritage auction records:
https://coins.ha.com/c/search-results.zx?N=51+790+231&Nty=1&Ntt=draped+bust+half+dime&ic4=ArchiveTab-071515
Plus, another R7 coin coming soon.
But, Bill Jones is correct, draped bust half dimes are scarce, and very scarce in no-problem holders. Part of the problem is that they were so thin that they suffered damage much more readily than the larger denominations. For example, about 2/3 to 3/4 of the 1802 half dimes known are problem coins.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.