1. What you probably didn’t know about 1861-O Half Dollars
Bill Bugert
This presentation will discuss 1861-O Half Dollars in great detail, including history, issuing authorities, die marriages, and rarity.
It include things you probably didn’t know about 1861-O half dollars!

2. Confederate Half Dollar
Where was this coin minted?
- The New Orleans Branch Mint!
ANIMATION!
First a quiz….
Where was the coin pictured here minted – it is a Confederate Half Dollar.
Answer: it was struck at the New Orleans Branch Mint.
Images courtesy of Stack’s

3. Outline 1861-Os: Fact or Fiction Circa 1861 History in South
3 Minting Authorities
Timeline
Randy Wiley’s 1861-O study
1861-O Die Marriages
Union
State of Louisiana
Confederate States of America
Restrikes and Tokens
Fantasy Strikes
Wrap up
The topics for this presentation include:
A quick Fact-or-Fiction list about 1861-O half dollars
A history of the South circa 1861, the 3 minting authorities, and a timeline
We will discuss Randy Wiley’s extensive research study of 1861-O half dollars
Present all of the known 1861-O die marriages, for the Union, State of Louisiana, and the CSA
Next we’ll discuss restrikes and tokens, along with modern fantasy strikes…
Then we’ll wrap-up with questions and answers

4. Fact or Fiction
1861-O Half Dollars are one of the most popular and collected Liberty Seated Half Dollar dates
Fact
No one can distinguish U.S., LA, or CSA 1861-O half dollars
Fiction
The Confederate half dollar reverse die was too large for the steam press so the halves were struck with a screw press
CSA ran out of silver so they couldn’t mint any more Confederate half dollars
CSA struck 1861-O half dollars are rare
Most U.S O half dollars were stolen – that’s why they are so rare
Maybe!
First our Fact or Fiction list… ANIMATION – STEP ONE AT A TIME BETWEEN QUESTION AND ANSWERS
1861-O half dollars have become one of the most popular and widely-collected Liberty Seated halves
FACT! After a number of studies on the date and this historical significance, it has become immensely popular.
Nobody can distinguish the halves struck by the USA, State of Louisiana, and the CSA
FICTION - they can be distinguished from each other
The Confederate Half Dollar reverse die was too large for the steam press, and a screw press had to be used
FACT!
The CSA ran out of silver, and that’s why they couldn’t mint any more Confederate Half Dollars.
FICTION. The combination of the need to use the screw press, and the fact that Richmond wanted the silver sent there, was why they didn’t make more halves.
1861-O Liberty Seated halves struck under authority of the CSA are rare
FICTION. They are readily available, far more than the Union issues.
Most 1861-O halves struck under Union authority were stolen, and that is why they are so rare
MAYBE!

5. The South in 1861 New Orleans was the largest city in the South
Population over 168,000
Commercial heart of the Deep South (main exports were cotton, sugar, and tobacco)
7 U.S. slave states seceded after the November 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln
State of LA seceded on January 22, 1861
2 federal buildings: Branch Mint and Customs House
A brief overview of the South in 1861
New Orleans was the largest city in the South, with a population over 168,000
It was the commercial heart of the deep South, with the bulk of the exports of cotton, sugar, and tobacco
7 slave states seceded from the United States after the election of Abraham Lincoln as President
The State of Louisiana seceded on January 22, 1861, and had two Federal Buildings – the Customs House, and the New Orleans Branch Mint

6. New Orleans Branch Mint – Then and now…
1907 postcard
The New Orleans Branch Mint building exists today as the Louisiana State Museum.
Here is a postcard showing the Mint in 1907, and here is a photo taken during author Bill Bugert’s visit in 2013
Not much has changed in its appearance.
2013

7. New Orleans timeline, early 1861
1/22 LA secedes
2/4
CSA
formed
3/11
CSA
Constitution
4/30
New Orleans
Mint closed
1/31
LA seizes
N.O. Mint
2/28
CSA controls
N.O. Mint
4/12
Fort Sumter
assault
4/28/62
New Orleans
city captured
Here is a timeline of events in New Orleans, beginning early in 1861…
On January 22 of the new year, the State of Louisiana secedes from the Union
9 days later, on January 31, the State of Louisiana seizes the New Orleans Branch Mint
On February 4th, the Confederate States of America is formed
On February 28th, the CSA takes control of the New Orleans Mint
On March 11, the CSA Constitution is ratified
A month later, the assault on Fort Sumter in South Carolina begins the Civil War
On April 30, the New Orleans Mint is closed, and will not open again until 1879
A year later in 1862, the City of New Orleans is recaptured by the Union
When looking at the timeline and who controlled the Mint, the United States of America (the Union) operated the New Orleans Branch Mint for 31 days, followed by 29 days of authority by the State of Louisiana. The CSA government operated the Mint for 62 days before it was closed.
Union State of LA CSA
30 days days days
Who controlled the New Orleans Branch Mint?

8. 3 Minting Authorities
1861-O half dollars are the only U.S. silver coins minted with the same date/design by 3 different governments.
United States of America (Union)
State of Louisiana (LA)
Confederate States of America (CSA)
Therefore, the 1861-O half dollar is the only U.S silver coin to be minted at the same facility with the same date and design by 3 different governments:
- USA
- State of Louisiana
- CSA

9. Randy Wiley’s 1861-O Study
Award winning recognized expert on Liberty Seated Half Dollars and 1861-O half dollars
Two articles published his findings
Gobrecht Journal Issue 94, November 2005
Gobrecht Journal Issue 97, November 2006
Lengthy analysis
Studied three large hoards of 1861-Os
Linked all dies (next page)
Suggested an average die life
Exploited known minting authority mintages and applied them to the linked dies
Exponentially increased interest in this date
Randy Wiley is a recognized expert and award-winning research on Liberty Seated half dollars. He co-authored the Wiley-Bugert Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars, (also known as the WB book), along with Bill Bugert.
Randy had access to 3 large hoards of 1861-O half dollars, and performed an extensive analysis of varieties and die marriages. He published his findings in two articles in the Gobrecht Journal In 2005 and 2006.
He was able to link all of the known dies (shown next slide) and suggested average die life, and exploited the known mintages from the 3 different minting authorities and applied them to the linked dies.
This study dramatically increased our knowledge of 1861-O half dollars.

10. Recent research slightly adjusts LA and CSA mintages
This chart shows the 17 different die marriages of 1861-O half dollars, presented in emission sequence, and classified under the 3 minting authorities.
Only two die marriages were used to coin the Union issues during January, with a single obverse die and two reverse dies.
4 obverse dies and 3 reverse dies, in 6 die marriages, were used to coin the 1861-O half dollar under authority of the State of Louisiana. One of the obverses was a hold-over from the Union issues, and one of the reverses used was the second reverse die also used for the Union issues. [*** You can point the Obverse (number) and Reverse (letter) die designation of these to illustrate: use of 1C and 4B)
For the CSA issues, 4 obverses and 5 reverses (including the Confederate Reverse) were used for coinage prior to the Mint closing.
The details are presented on this slide. Further research slightly adjusted the mintages under Louisiana and CSA authority.
Recent research slightly adjusts LA and CSA mintages

11. Union Issues Minted in January 1861
By far, the rarest of the 1861-O issues
2 die marriages (W-01, W-02) with same obverse die
First of all, let it be stated that attributing die marriages for 1861-O half dollars can be difficult, as some of the die marriages make them difficult to distinguish. Use all of the die diagnostics to differentiate them.
For the rare Union issues from January 1861, the two die marriages shared the same obverse die, with evidence of repunching visible above the flag of the 1 (and left of the top).
The reverse dies can be distinguished by other features, such as die lines, and die weakness.
Warning: O half dollars are some of the most difficult die marriages to distinguish. Use all die diagnostics to differentiate them.

12. State of Louisiana Issues
6 die marriages (4 obverse/3 reverse dies)
None rare
None especially interesting
Distinguishable by die cracks, die lines, tiny lumps, and clashes
None of the 6 State of Louisiana die marriages (from 4 obverses and 3 reverses) are rare.
None of them are particularly interesting, and are distinguishable by die lines, die cracks, lumps, clashes, etc.

13. Confederate (CSA) Issues
Most popular of the 3 minting authorities
7 die marriages (4 obverse/4 reverse dies including genuine CSA half dollar)
Most popular easily identifiable die marriages
Do to the historical significance, the CSA issues are the most popular of the 3 minting authorities. As a whole, they are also the easiest to find.
7 known die marriages emitted from 4 obverses and 4 reverses (including the CSA reverse die)
The most popular die marriages are also the easiest to identify
The most famous is the WB-102, with the “Confederate die crack” before Liberty’s face. This cracked obverse was also used to strike the original Confederate Half Dollars, making it the most popular.
The vertical die crack at the 6 in the date is another popular and easily distinguished CSA issue, the WB-103,
The die lines at the open bud on the reverse (called the Speared Olive Bud) is also easily distinguished from other 1861-O die marriages.
WB WB WB-104

14. Genuine Confederate Half Dollars
4 Known
Struck in April 1861
Distributed as follows:
Confederate Government (CSA Sec of Treasury to CSA President Jefferson Davis)
Sold Stack’s Ford Collection 10/2003 ($632,500)
Sold FUN 1/2015 Heritage sale (881,250)
Professor Riddell (Biddle), University of LA
Henry P. Kendall Collection, Stacks 3/2015 ($646,250)
Dr. E. Ames, New Orleans Physician
Found in circulation ~ 1912
Eric P. Newman sale, 11/2017 (960,000)
Dr. B.F. Taylor, Chief Coiner, NO Branch Mint
Also owned the reverse die
Presented to the ANS in 1918
In April 1861, a new Confederate States of America reverse die was used to coin 4 examples of the Confederate Half Dollar. They would be the equivalent of Patterns, and were distributed as follows:
One was given to CSA Treasury Secretary to present to CSA President Jefferson Davis. This coin is pictured right. It was sold by Stacks sale of the Ford Collection in 2003 for $632,500). Sold again by Heritage in January 2015 for 881,250.
Another example was given to University of Louisiana Professer John Riddell (also referred to as Biddle – not sure which is correct). This coin ended up in the Henry P. Kendall Collection in It was sold in Baltimore in March 2015 for $646,250.
A third example was given to Dr. E. Ames, an New Orleans Physician. Somehow, this example ended up in circulation, where it was found in It has resided in the Eric P. Newman Collection snce about 1940
The fourth example was kept by Dr. D. F. Taylor, the Chief Coiner at the New Orleans Branch Mint. Dr. Taylor also owned and kept the CSA Reverse Die for a number of years. Dr. Taylor’s coin was presented to the American Numismatic Society (ANS) Collection in 1918.

15. Status of CSA Die What happened to the die?
Dr. B.F. Taylor owned it and sold it to NYC dealer J.W. Scott in 1879
Scott used it for restrikes/tokens; defaced it, then MIA.
J. Sanford Saltus (1918) to Louisiana Historical Society?
What happened to the CSA Reverse Die?
Dr. Taylor owned the die and sold it to New York dealer Scott in 1879.
Scott then used the Die for restrikes and tokens. When finished, he defaced the die to prevent further use. Since then, it has gone missing.
There was a record that a J. Sanford Saltus gave it to the Louisiana Historical Society, but apparently they don’t have it, so who knows?
This chart shows that the CSA Reverse Die was used on 3 occasions:
In April 1861, it was used to strike the 4 original Confederate Half Dollars
In 1879, it was used to strike 500 Tokens in white medal
Afterward, it was used to strike 500 Confederate restrike half dollars.
More details on these follow…

16. Confederate Restrikes
Made in 1879 by dealers J.W. Scott and David Proskey
From the purchased Confederate reverse die
O halves with reverse planed (lathed) off
Flattened obverse
A few reverses were not planed off and overstruck
Underlying features faintly visible
Extremely rare
500 Confederate Restrikes were made in 1879 by New York dealers J.W. Scott and David Proskey. They used the die that Scott had purchased from D. F. Taylor, the Chief Coiner at the New Orleans Mint back in 1861.
For planchet stock, Scott and Proskey used 500 genuine 1861-O Liberty Seated halves (for the obverse).
A few pieces were struck, impressing the CSA die over the Federal Reverse. The results were unsatisfactory, as the underlying features were faintly visible underneath the CSA reverse design.
As a result, Scott planed or lathed off the reverse of the 1861-O half dollars, leaving a blank reverse. Then when the CSA reverse was overstruck, it left the reverse clear and without underlying features.
The pieces without planed-off reverses are extremely rare, as only a few were struck in that manner.
The Scott-Proskey Confederate Restrkes all come with a flattened obverse, a result of the huge amount of force used to impress the Confederate Reverse onto the coin.
Here is what the flattened obverse looks like: (next slide)

17. Flattened Obverse
Note the flatness of the entire obverse, especially around the perimeter stars and date. This is the look of the Confederate Restrikes on the obverse, The reverse shows the CSA Reverse – usually uncirculated or lightly handled.

18. Identifying Genuine vs. Restrike CSA Half dollars
While the 4 genuine original Confederate Half Dollars are well known, there are very easy ways to distinguish the Originals from the Restrikes.
First of all, for those restrikes where the reverse was planed off before striking, these coins will be lighter in weight, due to the lathing process.
The Restrikes will have flattened obverses, where the Originals will not.
Thirdly, the CSA Reverse Die was in pristine condition when it struck the 4 original examples, but by 1879 when the Restrikes were made, the die had rusted in the humid New Orleans climate over the 18 years, and rust pits are visible above ER in AMERICA on the Restrikes.
By coincidence, only a few of the 1861-O half dollars used by Scott and Proskey for the Restrikes had the same CSA Die Crack on the obverse – the same die crack that appears on the Original Confederate Half Dollars. Less than 6 of the Restrikes are known from that same obverse die.
Less than 6 known restrikes with CSA die crack

19. Scott-Proskey Tokens Made in 1879 by NYC dealers Scott/Proskey
Using purchased Confederate reverse die
Special obverse die
500 white metal planchets (made for contingency)
Before the striking of the Confederate Restrikes, Scott and Proskey had taken many orders for them. However, there was a fear that the Confederate Reverse Die would not stand up to the pressure to strike them, and would shatter or otherwise become unusable.
Therefore, to avoid the problem of having nothing for their customers should disaster happen and the die shatter, Scott and Proskey made 500 tokens using the CSA Reverse, in a soft white metal. For these tokens, they fashioned a special obverse die that says “4 ORIGINALS STRUCK BY ORDER OF CSA IN NEW ORLEANS 1861” and “FROM ORIGINAL DIE SCOTT”
After the white metal Scott-Proskey tokens were struck, they began striking the Confederate Restrikes.
However, as it turns out, the die didn’t shatter, and all 500 Restrikes were made successfully.
The white metal CSA Tokens are collectible in their own right, as they have the CSA Reverse on them from the original die.

20. CSA Half Dollar Tokens and Fantasy Medals
Very common
Easily located
Quality varies
Inexpensive
Highly collectible
For those who cannot find or afford the Confederate Restrikes or Tokens (they are quite pricey), there are any number of modern tokens and medals that copy the design of the CSA Reverse. They come in all medals, are inexpensive, and are highly collectable.

21. Liberty Seated Half Dollar References
For more information on Liberty Seated Half Dollars, there are a number of excellent references available.
A Register of Half Dollar Die Varieties and Sub-Varieties, by Martin Luther Beistle, was the first of its kind.
Randy Wiley and Bill Bugert’s Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars (WB Book) is the classic comprehensive reference to the series.
The Gobrecht Journal, publication of the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, includes many articles on Halves over the years.
Going to the next level, Bill Bugert’s series, Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties explore every known die marriage, and each volume is specific to a particular Mint. 4 Books have been published for San Francisco, Carson City, and New Orleans Mints (2 volumes). The works on the Philadelphia Mint issues are ongoing.

22. Thank you for your time!