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1864-S Seated denomination set
rhedden
Posts: 6,650 ✭✭✭✭✭
One of my favorite niches of U.S. numismatics is the early branch mint coinage of the San Francisco mint. Specifically, I enjoy collecting the "S" mint Liberty Seated coins minted at the first location on Commercial Street, from 1855 up until the opening of the new building at its present location on 5th & Mission St. on November 5, 1874. The early coinage provides a great number of scarce and rare issues, many of which are very rare or unattainable in mint condition. By contrast, many of the "S" mint issues dated after 1874 are readily available in high grades (with notable exceptions such as the 1878-s quarter and half).
Recently, with the acquisition of an 1864-s dime, I completed a mini-set of the silver "S" mint coins of 1864 consisting of half dime, dime, quarter, and half dollar. I have not acquired the gold issues of the year, but they might be a reasonable continuation of this set. The coins I assembled do have minor problems, with the exception of the half dollar, but one has to realize that serious damage and harsh cleaning are the norm for "S" mint coins of the era. These issues were not intentionally saved in Mint condition, and many took a beating in circulation. A light cleaning on such an issue, which may only have a few hundred survivors in all grades, is not as serious an issue as it might be on a more available coin like a BU Morgan Dollar.
The half dime is a difficult coin to acquire in any grade, with AU or better specimens being especially difficult. The dime is somewhat more available than several of the "S" mint dimes of the era, but it is still a very scarce coin overall. The quarter has long been recognized as a semi-key date in a difficult series, though specialists in the Seated Quarters might tell you it is overpriced compared to some of the other "S" mint quarters. The half dollar is common compared to all of the other denominations, but still a little better than Type.
I won't go into the 1864-S gold issues, but it would be neat if someone here could post examples them as a follow-up. Hope you enjoyed seeing these Civil War era coins from the West Coast.
Recently, with the acquisition of an 1864-s dime, I completed a mini-set of the silver "S" mint coins of 1864 consisting of half dime, dime, quarter, and half dollar. I have not acquired the gold issues of the year, but they might be a reasonable continuation of this set. The coins I assembled do have minor problems, with the exception of the half dollar, but one has to realize that serious damage and harsh cleaning are the norm for "S" mint coins of the era. These issues were not intentionally saved in Mint condition, and many took a beating in circulation. A light cleaning on such an issue, which may only have a few hundred survivors in all grades, is not as serious an issue as it might be on a more available coin like a BU Morgan Dollar.
The half dime is a difficult coin to acquire in any grade, with AU or better specimens being especially difficult. The dime is somewhat more available than several of the "S" mint dimes of the era, but it is still a very scarce coin overall. The quarter has long been recognized as a semi-key date in a difficult series, though specialists in the Seated Quarters might tell you it is overpriced compared to some of the other "S" mint quarters. The half dollar is common compared to all of the other denominations, but still a little better than Type.
I won't go into the 1864-S gold issues, but it would be neat if someone here could post examples them as a follow-up. Hope you enjoyed seeing these Civil War era coins from the West Coast.
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Nice mini set you got there
I recall an exciting collection of older coins that walked into a local coin shop when I lived in Upstate NY in the late 1990s. It was an original, rotten, old leather pouch containing coins that had been brought back from the west coast presumably in the late 1890s. There was nothing dated after 1894 in the pouch. Many of the coins had horrific, dark, blotchy toning due to storage in leather for all those years. The contents of the pouch included an Unc. 1894-s quarter that ANACS graded MS61; an Unc. 1865-S half; an AU58 1865-S half; an 1859-S gold dollar in AU; an 1876-CC Trade Dollar in Unc. (but too dark to be graded, without a doubt); and the killer of the bunch, an 1864-S quarter that was either strictly AU58 or else MS-something. Like the other coins in the pouch, the dark toning made it difficult to grade. However, I remember drooling over this amazing quarter, which had no price listed in the Red Book at the time. An acquaintance of mine bought it out from under me before I had a chance to make an offer- for $2,500. Oh, what could have been. I did get an impressive proof-like 1883 Half Eagle out of the pouch, which I still possess.
Also tried to put together an 1858-0 mint set in gem once I had the only known quarter and dime by 1983. But again, the "easier" coins proved elusive. A decent half dollar finally
showed up around 1986 but I felt it was too much money for a just there MS65. Somewhere I figured a superb gem half was out there somewhere. But before I could find one the
market was getting ready to tank in spring 1990 so I sold the quarter. That was a mistake as another true gem 1858-0 quarter has not appeared since. It turned out to be an irreplaceable coin as it eventually overtook center stage over the 56-0 to 59-0 dates which up to that time were sort of considered rarer in gem. But I didn't think so. At one time I owned 3 MS specimens of the 58-0 (61, 63, 65) but let them go 15 yrs too early.
One might think that mint sets might bring more than the sum of the parts. But I don't think that way anymore. Very few people do them and each coin is probably destined for a specific denomination set if it's close to finest known. In the later 1980's I had the idea of putting together a run of my favorite seated quarters in gem: 1866-S to 1872-S. I got half way home with the 66-s, 67-s, 69-s in gem, and 68-s in MS64 but got detoured when I couldn't buy the gem 72-s in Norweb. All but the 68-s were finest graded to that time. Marty Haber I believe had the MS67 or MS68 1868-s at that time and it probably wasn't coming out.
I don't believe the 64-s quarter is overpriced really as it is probably tougher than 66-s and 67-s. It competes well with the 60-s, 71-s, and 72-s. Everyone seems to have their own
favorites. The 64-s half is surprisingly hard to find in problem free AU and Unc. Choice mint state coins are quite tough with gems only numbering a few pieces. A small group of gem
64-s half dimes surfaced a few decades ago making it "available" in gem. Most of the S mints from 1855 to 1873 were royally messed with making it very difficult to determine how many problem free coins really exist.
roadrunner
Thanks for the knowledge RR.
K
My 1866 Philly Mint Set
Thanks for the interesting story about your similar "short set" endeavors. My circulated 1864-S "set" was completed quite by accident, and I thought it would be neat to post them as a group. Maybe I need to upgrade to MS65 examples. I'm just a few hundred k$ short.
Thanks guys.