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The "No Arrows" Seated coins of 1853
rhedden
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In 1853, the US mint produced two distinct types of Seated coins: the old "No Arrows" type, and the later "Arrows at Date" type, which had a reduced weight. Many of the 1853 No Arrows coins were exported and melted due to their higher silver content, which made them worth slightly more than face value.
A complete set of No Arrows coins from 1853 would include:
The scarce 1853 No Arrows half dime
The very scarce 1853-O No Arrows half dime
The scarce 1853 No Arrows dime
The rare 1853 No Arrows quarter
The very rare 1853-O No Arrows half dollar.
A Seated dollar.
I am not including large cents, gold, etc., which also have no arrows at the date, of course.
All of these coins are difficult to obtain in nicer grades and have seen recent price increases. The mintage figures were very, very low, and widespread melting made the mintage figures very inaccurate, if not meaningless. And by the way, they are still worth more than face value, but please don't melt any of them.
Let's see if we can get photos of every one of these coins in one thread. I'll start things off with a half dime, and we'll go from there.
A complete set of No Arrows coins from 1853 would include:
The scarce 1853 No Arrows half dime
The very scarce 1853-O No Arrows half dime
The scarce 1853 No Arrows dime
The rare 1853 No Arrows quarter
The very rare 1853-O No Arrows half dollar.
A Seated dollar.
I am not including large cents, gold, etc., which also have no arrows at the date, of course.
All of these coins are difficult to obtain in nicer grades and have seen recent price increases. The mintage figures were very, very low, and widespread melting made the mintage figures very inaccurate, if not meaningless. And by the way, they are still worth more than face value, but please don't melt any of them.
Let's see if we can get photos of every one of these coins in one thread. I'll start things off with a half dime, and we'll go from there.
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<< <i>Regarding the above quarter, if you own it, then YOU SUCK. >>
Thanks though
<< <i>
<< <i>Regarding the above quarter, if you own it, then YOU SUCK. >>
Thanks though
But that has arrows.
<< <i>dang... I don't think I've ever even saw a picture of one of those before....
Wow, that is impressive. I certainly had not seen a picture of one either. Is that the real McCoy? Do you own it?
Now we just need someone to post an 1853-P NA dime, and we'll have a complete collection in this thread. We already got a picture of the toughest one (the half dollar)!
The 1853 No Arrows half dime that you posted is an early die state of the V1, as listed by Daniel W. Valentine in his 1931 reference. He lists a later die state (V1a) with more advanced die cracks. For the V1 (early die state), he lists only faint die cracks on the reverse at the tops of UNI and MER. That is what your coin, and that of Richardship, appear to be. Surprisingly, I have never found an example of this early die state, and I have never found a so-called perfect die example, nor did Valentine. The three examples that I have are all the V1a, in various progressive die states. Most evident is an obverse die crack from the rim at K6:30 which runs through the bases of all four date numerals. On much later die states, on the reverse there is a die crack from the left stem to the rim, and another die crack at U of UNITED. There is another die crack from A2 to the rim. Another die crack, previously mentioned, connects the tops of MER, and to rim.
I would love to be able to post a picture of my 1853-O No Arrows half dime. It was purchased in 1996 from Dave Olmstead (Alpine Coins) in an old PCGS AU-50 holder. Although I have seen examples with higher grades written on the inserts, this is the nicest example that I have ever seen. One can only wonder what it might grade today if it were to be resubmitted, although I will never do that. As is diagnostic for the issue, the date is always weak, particularly at the lower left, as seen on your example.
Recently a well known Liberty Seated dealer who is extremely knowledgable in the series contacted me about a raw example of the 1853-O No Arrows half dime that he recently sold. His customer was concerned that the coin was raw, and not in a slab and certified, so it was submitted to PCGS for authentication and grading. It was returned in a body bag with the notation "Arrows removed". The dealer was certain that the coin was genuine, and discussed with me the several diagnostics which indicated that it was genuine, and wondered what he might do to convince the good people at PCGS that the coin was, in fact, genuine. I told him to simply weigh the coin. If it was a "With Arrows" example from which someone had removed the arrows, it would have weighed only 1.25 grams when minted. However, if it were a genuine "No Arrows" example, it would have weighed 1.35 grams when minted. Arrows are sometimes removed to create bogus examples of this rare half dime, but the weight cannot easily be increased by a full 0.1 gram in order to complete the deception. The coin turned out to be genuine, as would be expected from this dealer. I wonder why PCGS did not think of that?
<< <i>Someday, I would like to get one of those quarters. >>
If you can get one like that pictured here, you will have done well!
Buying top quality Seated Dimes in Gem BU and Proof.
Buying great coins - monster eye appeal only.