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Half Dime Collectors ... 1862 ( Doubled Date and OBV/REV Clash )
jgrinz
Posts: 985 ✭✭✭
How rare is this on a 1862 Half Dime ??? The comments from my supplier follows when I tried to snag it - he said he will have to hold off on selling this one 
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"When I bought it,I discovered that it is a clashed die (obverse AND reverse) and the date is doubled. Which means it could be the V-5 / R-5 variety, which is very scarce. Other dealers agree with me that the date is plainly doubled but everyone was scratching their heads over the clashed die surfaces. So, I'm trying to determine how rare this piece is. The toning is a blue/purple with some light golden areas - So I cant let you have it yet"
."When I bought it,I discovered that it is a clashed die (obverse AND reverse) and the date is doubled. Which means it could be the V-5 / R-5 variety, which is very scarce. Other dealers agree with me that the date is plainly doubled but everyone was scratching their heads over the clashed die surfaces. So, I'm trying to determine how rare this piece is. The toning is a blue/purple with some light golden areas - So I cant let you have it yet"
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Comments
for a dealer friend of mine ..
Anyone know if he has been on ??
Mike
If I understand your OP correctly, you were initially offered an 1862 half dime, with repunched date, but the offer was then retracted when the seller noticed that there was significant die clashing on both obverse and reverse. Without a picture, it is difficult to know with certainty, but it certainly sounds like an example of Valentine's V5. This die marriage was identified by Dr. Valentine when he published in 1931, but in his typically cryptic style, he did not mention the repunched date nor the clashing! It has to be identified from the poor quality photographic plates. His very ambiguous description is as follows:
Obv. Low, open date. A faint flaw runs from ear into neck.
Rev. Right end of ribbon is clear. Defect in M.
It is very difficult to make a positive attribution from that description.
In the quotation you provided from your 'supplier', there was mention of a rarity rating of R5 for this V5 die marriage. The only source that I can find where anyone assigned a rarity rating to this die marriage is in Al Blythe's "The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dimes", where he does, indeed, mention for the 1862 half dimes: "R1 in all grades, except for the uphill date (R4) and the Double Date (R5)". But if your supplier had read this comment in Blythe's book, he must certainly have also read Al's description:
"Other than the very early die states, the obverse and reverse are heavily clashed." And he continues: "I have seen a double date specimen owned by R. Sebenick of Michigan which has no die clashes (very early die state) and also has a different undescribed reverse die with both ribbon ends distant, the right more so than the left. Also, the end of the right ribbon on this particular coin is faint which is probably due to excessive die polishing."
My own experience with the Valentine V5 closely parallels that of Al Blythe. My reference collection contains six (6) examples of the V5 Repunched Date, two in very early die state, with no die clashing, and four in later die state, exhibiting the die clashing. I am not certain of the R5 rarity rating (it is certainly no higher than this), but the scarcer die state would certainly be the VEDS, with no die clashing.
In the absence of a picture, a verbal description of the V5 from my database would be as follows:
"OBV: SL-10. 1862/1862 Repunched Date, most evident at 1 (N), and to a lesser degree 8 (N). Die crack across chest. Raised die line from forefinger at shield under L of LIBERTY. Breen B-3105."
In the last (2005) Liberty Seated Collectors Club half dime census survey, there were a total of seventeen (17) examples of this die marriage reported, including five (5) in mint state, four (4) in AU, seven (7) in EF, and one (1) in F grade. It is my opinion that these seemingly low numbers reflect a small collecting fraternity for this series, rather than a small population of the die marriage. If your 'supplier' is holding on to that coin with the hope that large numbers of serious Liberty Seated half dime collectors will beat a path to his door seeking that 'rare' die marriage, I'm afraid he is in for a long wait. It is an interesting die marriage, a nice example of a repunched date, and exhibits some strong die clashing, but may not garner a strong premium with collectors. I paid $100 each for three nice AU examples over the years.
I will see if he will release it to me for picture taking
He only has a slab picture which is useless
One thing I did not mention is that this coin is in a MS65 holder from NGC ..
VEDS (#1704) Strong repunching of date
No die clashing
Die crack across chest, from Miss Liberty's right upper arm, across gown, across upper chest, to left arm.
MDS (#1747) Strong repunching of date
No die clashing
Die crack across chest, from Miss Liberty's right upper arm, across gown, across upper chest, to left arm.
Large die crack on reverse at K 4:30, from oak leaf to rim
LDS (#438) Strong repunching of date
Heavy die clashing obverse and reverse
Die crack across chest, from Miss Liberty's right upper arm, across gown, across upper chest, to left arm.
Large die crack on reverse at K 4:30, from oak leaf to rim
The die clashing is strong across the entire obverse and reverse, but is most visible to the right of the drapery and knee, above UNITED ST, and above the date on the obverse, and on the reverse at H of HALF and ME of DIME, plus there is a large die clash line connecting the tips of the left and right wreath ends (base of the rock on the obverse).
This at least presents a relative emission sequence for the 1862 V5 (1862/1862) Repunched Date half dime, and may be valuable in determining the die state of your MS-65 specimen.
Edit: (The numbers in parenthesis refer to specific examples in my reference collection, and have no other significance)