1. 1 Specializing in Liberty Seated Half Dollars Dick Osburn 713-875-5860 rarecoins@dickosburn.com

2. How’d I Get Here? Began collecting in 1955 Dad had typical coins in his top drawer Dealing by 1958 Lincolns, Jeff nickels, Merc dimes, etc. Selling circulation finds at local shows 2

3. 3 Series Characteristics DesignerChristian Gobrecht First official issue1839 no drapery Last issue1891 Mints Philadelphia1839 - 1891 San Francisco1855 - 1878 New Orleans1840 - 1861 Carson City1870 - 1878 Total dates/mintmarks108 Total varieties306 in Wiley/Bugert reference ~500 estimated Total die marriages~2500 estimated

4. 4 Design Types YEARType 1839No drapery 1839-1842With drapery, small date/ letters 1842-1866With drapery, large date/ letters, no motto 1853Arrows & Rays, no motto 1854-1855Arrows only, no motto 1866-1891With Motto 1873-1874With arrows, with motto Minor hub changes – 1858, 1876

5. 5 Seated Half Rarity By Date and Mintmark (all varieties included) R7+3 known1853-O No Arrows 1842 small date small letters R5~65 known1878-S R3Less than 5001851, 1852-O, 1870-CC, 1878-CC 1871-CC, 1874-CC R2Less than 12501842-O SD, 1846-O TD, 1850, 1852 1855-S, 1856-S, 1857-S, 1866-S NM 1872-CC, 1873-CC NA, 1873-CC WA 1885, 1886, 1887

6. 6 Seated Half Rarity By VarietyValue (XF) Unknown1880, type 1 reverse Unique1866, no motto (Actually a pattern, the DuPont coin) 1 known1877, WB-101, type 1 reverse 3 known1842, small date and letters$35,000+? 5-7 known1851, WB-104, 8 in denticles5,000? ~15 known1877/77 type 1 reverse (Proof)2,000 1875-S, WB-104, micro S5,000 ~30 known1849/1849, WB-102, dramatically doubled date5,000 1876-S, WB-103, tail hub variety 21,500 ~50 known1847/6, WB-10212,500 ~75 known1873, WB-101, no arrows, open 39,000 ~250 known1844/1844-O, WB-103, dramatically doubled date2,500

7. 7 Seated Half Rarity The “Not So Rare” 1855/4You can find one or two at any large show 1845-O No DraperyActually a die state, caused by polishing the die (the 1839 ND is the exception) Many other no drapery dates are available 1846/horizontal 6Spectacular, very visible varieties, therefore high 1844-O doubled datepriced, but not excessively rare 1879 through 1890Rare by mintage, but always available Buy proofs for not much more than G-VG 1885, 1886, and 1887 are rarer than the others 1855-SLouisiana hoard dispersed about 10 years ago

8. 8 Seated Half Rarity Sleepers 1842-O Large dateCommon date, but very hard to find 1848Moderate price, hard to find 1851Higher priced, but virtually unavailable 1851-OHigher mintage, and common date price Sought by date collectors due to scarcity of 1851 1852-OPrice references around $100 in G/VG Virtually unavailable in all grades 1856-S, 1857-SAs scarce as 1855-S, but at a fraction of the price 1862 - 1865Civil war issues disappeared 1864-SVery underrated. Virtually unobtainable in AU - MS

9. 9 Interesting Coins 1840 “Medium Letters” reverse Bust half reverse (obverse mintmark) used to strike an 1840-O seated half Result - the “Medium Letters” no mintmark variety, which is actually a New Orleans issue Early New Orleans die usage 1845-O WB-108 1846, 6 over horizontal 6 The 1861-O “Confederate” halves Obverse die linked to real 1861 Confederate half dollar issued by the CSA 1866 with misplaced digits (WB-103)

10. 10 Cherry Picking ( for fun and profit) The Rules of Engagement Cherry Picking is an honorable pursuit (NOT theft) –You worked hard for the knowledge - YOU EARNED IT!! –Most (but not all) dealers agree Be courteous to a dealer’s other customers –Don’t hog the table When you find something –Complete your search before asking for prices –Ask the price, then pay it or move on –If the dealer asks what you’ve found, tell him

11. 11 Closing Thoughts Get smart - buy the books before the coins Limit your scope - specialize Buy a microscope Series suggestions : Low budgetType set Moderate budgetDate set First and last year transitional set Big bucksDate and mintmark set

12. 12 References 1. Wiley, Randy; and Bugert, Bill, The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars. Virginia Beach, Virginia: DLRC Press, 1993. 2.The Gobrecht Journal. Three times yearly publication of the Liberty Seated Collector’s Club. 3.The Gobrecht Journal, Collective Volumes 1-4. Published by the Liberty Seated Collector’s Club. 4.Flynn, Kevin, Two Dates are Better Than One, A Collector’s Guide to Misplaced Dates. Rancocas, New Jersey: KCK Press, 1997. 5.Lloyd, Lloyd M., The Varieties of 1854 New Orleans Liberty Seated Half Dollars, Published by Mike Lloyd, 1998. 6.Beistle, M. L., A Register of Half Dollar Die Varieties and Sub-Varieties. Shippenburg, Pensylvania: The Beistle Company, 1929. 7.Breen, Walter. Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Coins. New York: F. C. I. Press, Inc. and Doubleday, 1988. 8.Breen, Walter. Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Proof Coins. New York: F. C. I. Press, Inc. and Doubleday, 1977.