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Liberty seated halves: What are the top 10 rarest coins in the series 1839-1891
WildWestHalfDollars
Posts: 7,123 ✭✭✭✭✭
Curious minus the obvious ones like 1853-O & 1878-S? I imagine 1879-1890 would fill many spots in the top 10.
Liberty Seated Half Dollars
(G-04 to F-12)
0
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If you go by the mintage figures in the Red Book,
1878-S and
1879-1890
all have mintages under 20,000.
If you go by Red Book prices, higher prices than the 1879-1890
are reached by:
1855-S
1870-CC
1878-CC
.
There are also some Red Book varieties with high prices:
1842-O small date
1847, 7/6
1853-O no arrows
.
Difficult Dates and Stoppers:
(one sold at GC 6/21/26 for $246,500)
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
Where do coins like the 1851 and 1855-S land rarity wise?
Liberty Seated Half Dollars
(G-04 to F-12)
Underrated:
1841 – low mintage, gets little notice
1842-O Medium Date – overshadowed by 1842-O Small Date
1845 – quietly under the radar
1847/6 – a great rarity of the series, pricey but still underrated
1849 Dramatic Double Date – only 60 examples known
1857-O, 1859-S, 1860-S, 1866, 1868 – modest mintages unnoticed
1871-CC – unheralded, low mintage, Carson City issue
1872-S – good buy at current prices
1873 No Arrows, Open 3 – rare variety of series, still underpriced
1873-S – prices rising, but still underpriced
1874-S – prices on the rise, don’t wait
1875-CC – problem-free high grade pieces difficult to find
1878-CC – very underrated, problem-free examples difficult
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
Overrated:
1839 No Drapery – half-year type, not rare at all
1842-O Small Date – rare, but overrated at current prices
1846 over Horizontal 6 – popular, but not rare
1846 Tall Date – not rare, but getting pricey
1853, 1853-O Arrows & Rays – type collectors drive the price
1854, 1854-O, 1855, 1855-O, Arrows – type collectors again
1861-O CSA Obverse – not rare, but very popular
1862-1864 – Civil War dates that are in great demand
1866-S No Motto – available in all grades
1873-1874 with Arrows and Motto – type collectors again
1879-1890 – ultra low mintages, but higher survival than other scarce issues with much higher mintages
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
What coins are harder to find in low grades versus high grades? I think the 1851 is one of them?
Liberty Seated Half Dollars
(G-04 to F-12)
1851: 168 total PCGS pop
1855-S: 145 total PCGS pop
1878-S: 37 total PCGS pop
1885: 195 total PCGS pop, the smallest of the 1879-1890 series
https://www.pcgs.com/pop/detail/liberty-seated-half-dollar-1839-1891/121
I ask since I collect G-04 to F-12 with some exceptions for the more expensive dates details grade but again in G to Fine details.
Liberty Seated Half Dollars
(G-04 to F-12)
If you look at the "Comprehensive" set of grades (VG-MS),
the count for 1851 VG is 5, MS is 46
but the count for 1852 VG is only 1, MS is 54.
So 1852 has relatively fewer in VG vs. MS.
But graded counts can easily change due to sampling error, so I would not say it is very conclusive.
https://www.pcgs.com/pop/detail/liberty-seated-half-dollar-1839-1891/121/0?t=5&p=MS&pn=1
Many collect this series in lower grades unslabbed.
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
@WildWestHalfDollars
Don't know if you saw this thread previously, but you may find it of interest given your focus!
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1095225/seated-liberty-half-dollar-set-after-brief-hiatus/p1
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
I am going to join the Liberty Half Dollars Society for a year and see what I can learn (most likely a lot).
Liberty Seated Half Dollars
(G-04 to F-12)
Eye Appealing Coins just bought a nice set of Liberty Seated Half Dollars. It includes the key 1878-S in PCGS AU55, the 1847/146 in the coveted early die state which includes all 3 digits of the underdate, the 1861 Scott token, 1870-CC, 1872-CC, 1873 No Arrows Open 3, and 1877/6. All of these coins are in EF, AU, or Unc.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
That is some serious collection congrats!!!
Liberty Seated Half Dollars
(G-04 to F-12)
Was looking at survival rates over at PCGS how is it that the 1859-S SLH have an estimate of only 150 coins? I would think the 1855-S &1857-S are rarer? Is the 1859-S truly rarer?
Liberty Seated Half Dollars
(G-04 to F-12)
Never mind just looked at the pop reports more than 150 have been graded.
Liberty Seated Half Dollars
(G-04 to F-12)
I've always thought the 1860 Philadelphia issue was underrated. Just try to find one.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Need some photos: