Half-Dime Die Crack Bonanza!

JrGMan2004 · February 25, 2006 3:53AM

Ok, in the past month and a half, I've purchased 3 Half-Dimes, each one being the same die marriage... that's not that hard of an acomplishment, except that the die marriage is an R.5

I bought one coin from Jade at FUN, then found the other one on a dealer's back table later at FUN, then the one on the bottom, I bought yesterday unattributed

And this is a really cool cool coin, because there is a die crack bisecting the obverse die, though it's tough to see on the 2 lower grade coins, but easilly seen on the XFish coin... on top of that, you also have this cud on the reverse...

It seems I'm putting together a die progression set on this R.5 marriage

Link to Larger Picture

LeeG · February 25, 2006 4:04AM

"Very Nice" examples JrG. I picked up this 1836 from Cladiator on the B/S/T. He said it was an LM2/R-3. PCGS graded it XF45, but it's happy residing in my 7070

JrGMan2004 · February 25, 2006 4:09AM

Hey lookie what I just found amoung my little babies

MrHalfDime · February 25, 2006 4:27AM

Lee:

Cladiator was correct. Your coin is an LM-2/V1, but you will notice that it shares the very same obverse as George's LM-1/V5, with the bisecting obverse die crack. Your coin exhibits the Small 5C reverse die, while George's coin exhibits the Large 5C reverse.

George is putting together nice die studies for both the bisected obverse die and the double cud reverse die.

Nice coins, guys.

JrGMan2004 · February 25, 2006 4:48AM

<< Lee:

Cladiator was correct. Your coin is an LM-2/V1, but you will notice that it shares the very same obverse as George's LM-1/V5, with the bisecting obverse die crack. Your coin exhibits the Small 5C reverse die, while George's coin exhibits the Large 5C reverse.

George is putting together nice die studies for both the bisected obverse die and the double cud reverse die.

Nice coins, guys. >>

If I recall right, according to Logan and McCloskey, as of 1998, no coin had been found with that obverse die from before the die crack... Steve, has that changed since publishing?

Cladiator · February 25, 2006 5:01AM

Very cool George, congratulations on some nice coins! Your die state study looks like it's really coming together well. If we ever meet up at a show I'd love to see them in person. You can check out my '32 LM5 die state study...not nearly as rare but still fun

Cladiator · February 25, 2006 5:03AM

Lee,

That '36 LM2 really looks quite good in your Dansco. I'm glad it went to a good home.

Barndog · February 25, 2006 5:53AM

I'm away from the computer for a few hours and I missed this great thread! I went to a coin show today and looked at about a dozen half dimes. One was a VF 1830 LM-1.2/V-10, but I passed on that R-4. The rest were not suited for my set. Anyway, I like what this thread has shown so far so I will offer the obverse of one of my more recent acquisitions as another example of the 1836 LM-2/V-1. This coin came as the result of a trade. I had a beautiful example of this die marriage slabbed by NGC as MS-62 (it was number one in condition census in the last CBHD survey) and traded it for this coin, graded by NGC as XF-40 (and since cracked out). Why trade down? Well, I prefer coins that are XF and I had the chance in the trade to also acquire a tough R-6 die marriage in XF (1830 LM-10/V-12)...and the 1830 LM-10/V-12 was also the discovery coin for the die marriage! Anyway, here is the obverse I promised:

Since I am on the topic of half dimes, here's another one some of you CBHD enthusiasts might appreciate. I just got this one today. It didn't come from the coin show. It came from a registered mail envelope. The seller and I grade it XF-45. It has retoned nicely from what appears to be a light, old cleaning. It completes my 1829 die marriage list.

OK, while I am still at it, let's look at a coin that comes from DLRC. This coin is 1833 LM-3.2/V-4. The LM-3.x/V-4 die marriage is only R-2, so this coin shouldn't be a big deal. I think it is a big deal though. The latest CBHD census had just two examples of this LM-3.2 die remarriage listed, both AU-55. This coin was graded by NGC as AU-58. So this "easy" R-2, in my opinion, is a very, very tough die remarriage, maybe R-6 or better. If you believe NGC, it would be condition census for the remarriage. Photo courtesy of the good people at DLRC.

That's enough for now. Cladiator, JrGman2004, MrHalfDime, and any other enthusiasts of baby busties, I hope you like the pictures and the information.

JrGMan2004 · February 25, 2006 6:18AM

Cladiator · February 25, 2006 7:48AM

YOWZERS, Barndog! Sure looks to me like that is a nice example of the 1829 LM8/"V17" discovered in 1988. I can just barely see a bit of a die crack infront of her ear. Does anyone know if this crack becomes more pronounced on any other LM8's or does it not progress much until the third and final use of the die (obverse die 2) with marriage LM11/"V18"?

I'd grade your coin an XF40obv./XF45rev. with a bonus for coolness. You mention registered mail...I sure hope any R7 (4-12 known to exist) coin in the mail goes by registered only.

By it going via registered mail I'm guessing the seller infact knew what the coin was? Great coin bud.

MrHalfDime · February 25, 2006 8:50AM

George, it is my understanding that the obverse bisecting die crack on Obverse 1 developed after at least some coins were struck, and therefore there are at least some examples without the die crack. I do not own an example without the die crack, nor can I say that I have seen one. If Walter Breen is correct, that there are proof examples of both the LM-1 and LM-2 die marriages, perhaps it is only the proof examples that do not exhibit the die crack. In any event, it must have developed very early in the use of that die.

In the format of the Logan/McCloskey book, the tense of the verb in the die state paragraphs tells us when a specific deterioration of a die developed, so in the case of Obverse Die 1, it states "A very faint bisecting die crack forms from rim over cap...", indicating that at some point during the use of Obverse 1 in the LM-1 marriage, the crack developed.

This would be a very interesting die state to search for in your die study.

I am frustrated that I still do not have the means to post images of my coins, or I would post a few images of my own of these various marriages and die states.

Barndog · February 25, 2006 10:00AM

<< YOWZERS, Barndog! Sure looks to me like that is a nice example of the 1829 LM8/"V17" discovered in 1988 >>

100% correct. 89/91 now!

Cladiator · February 25, 2006 10:24AM

<< 

<< YOWZERS, Barndog! Sure looks to me like that is a nice example of the 1829 LM8/"V17" discovered in 1988 >>

100% correct. 89/91 now! >>

When you hit 91/91 I'm going to go public with a new discovery coin making it 92

Barndog · February 25, 2006 10:27AM

<< When you hit 91/91 I'm going to go public with a new discovery coin making it 92 >>

I don't doubt that number 92 is out there waiting to be discovered!

MrHalfDime · February 25, 2006 10:33AM

Count on it!

Cladiator · February 25, 2006 10:42AM

It's probably already in my collection of uber low grade and holed coins. I'll end up selling it on eBay one day LOL

JrGMan2004 · February 25, 2006 10:55AM

Half-Dime Die Crack Bonanza!

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