RIP, Mr Half Dime

No one in the world knew more about half dimes than Steve Crain.

And, he was a friend and a gentleman.

Early in my career as a dealer, I bought a deal of Capped Bust half dimes, and shortly thereafter, Steve stopped by my table and asked if I had anything new. I told him about the half dimes and he wanted to see them. I said, better yet, why don't you take them along with you, check them out for me, recommend pricing, and ship them back. We agreed on a deal for his services and he did a great job with descriptions and attributions. I always appreciated that.

RIP, my friend.

Good guy, hope he gets his half Disme with his next set. I remember sitting and speaking candidly with him at an LSCC event. I asked him what his best memory with coins was and he rambled off a few great collections he had held. But then he paused and told about some of his happiest moments in life traveling to shows with his kids before they got too big to be enticed by a trip to Orlando.

My condolences
John

"Calling Mr. Half Dime"
He left great legacies in his children and in his research.
@MrHalfDime always shared his passion and discoveries, on this forum and others, and in the journals.
This continues with the photos of his reference collection of 987 Liberty Seated Half Dimes and his notes, including much unpublished research.
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/imagecollection/514182
Here is a list of his articles in the Gobrecht Journal, 1988-2016:

• An 1841 Half Dime with a Shattered Reverse
• Letter to the Editor - Half Dime Variety Finds
• An Analysis of the Probability of Undiscovered Die Varieties Within the Liberty Seated Half Dime Series
• A More Precise Method for Attribution of Liberty Seated Half Dime Varieties
• Letter to the Editor - Meeting Other Club Members
• A New Variety for the 1868-S Half Dime
• Rediscovering the 1871-S Half Dime
• An Analysis of Rarity and Population Estimates for Liberty Seated Half Dimes
• Another Look at the 1838 V-10 Half Dime
• Letter to the Editor - Comments on McCloskey Article in GJ #82
• Rotated Die Examples of Liberty Seated Half Dimes (E-Gobrecht)
• Liberty Seated Half Dime Survey Results - 2005
• New 1841 Half Dime variety discovered (E-Gobrecht)
• An 1841 Half Dime with a Misplaced Date
• Dr. Daniel Webster Valentine (1863- 1932)
• 1861 Half Dime with Obverse Clashing
• A Truly "Original" 1840-O Half Dime (E-Gobrecht)
• An Exonumia Mystery - Encased Half Dimes
• The 1843 Shattered Reverse Half Dimes
• The Half Dimes of 1847
• The J-267 1860 Transitional Half Dime, A Second Die Marriage for "A Coin without a Country"
• A Closer Look at the 1848 "Large Date" Half Dime, Setting the record straight, once and for all
• A Visit with William A. Harmon and his Amazing Half Dimes
• An Exonumia Mystery Solved? Encased Half Dimes

It won't be the same without him, but we'll try to soldier on and continue his research
in the Liberty Seated Half Dime die varieties, always keeping in mind what we've learned from him.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1016391/anyone-else-get-the-email-about-mr-half-dime