1850-O half dime attribution guide (for EF and higher grade coins) by Clint Cummins draft

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1 1850-O half dime attribution guide (for EF and higher grade coins) by Clint Cummins draft This guide was constructed by exhaustively checking images of 1850-O half dimes from Heritage Auctions 2009 to 2017 (ha.com), Stacks-Bowers Auctions, PCGS Registry Sets / TrueView / CoinFacts, David Lawrence Rare Coins and a few other sources. Most coins were unattributed. However, all the quality photos help to make this attribution guide possible. A short procedure was developed for accurately classifying them, and photos of key markers for each die pair and significant die states were selected. The procedure identifies the most common varieties first, so the number of steps should be minimal. After presenting the procedure, we describe each die pair in detail, including rosters of the highest grade attributed examples. Attribution Procedure 1. Obverse cracks. Cracks through most of the obverse stars, connecting the date digits, and from the toe to dentils occur on both V-1A and V-2a,b,c. A horizontal crack from the dentils to star 3 (S3) and continuing to Liberty s arm identifies V-1A. The crack from the toe to the dentils is downhill on V-1A and uphill on V-2a,b,c. Photos pages 3, Reverse cracks. V-1A has cracks at OFA and E3. V-2b,c has a crack at the right ribbon. Both have cracks at UNI and the right stem. V-3a also has a crack/cud at U (but has a low O). Photos page Horizontal date position. Use the position of the 5 relative to the skirt pendant or bulla (vertical black line on each photo). See the Attribution methods used PDF linked on the last page. Horizontal position and slope distinguish between V-1 and V-2 (especially when the obverse cracks have not appeared yet) the V-1 pendant is above the center of the 5 curve, while the V-2 pendant is right of the 5 curve. V-1 has a level date and V-2 has a downhill date. Photos page O mintmark size and position. Small o identifies V-4. Large low O identifies V-3 and V-5u. Large high and slightly high O occur on V-1 and V-2. See the Attribution methods used PDF linked on the last page for info on how to draw the quadrant + lines for the mintmark position. Photos page Reverse cuds. Similar reverse cuds occur near U on V-2c and V-3a. Both originating vertical cracks are from U to the dentils. The V-2c cud is entirely in the dentils and mostly right of the crack, so it is described as below U. The V-3a cud is left of the crack, and extends into the field to touch UN, so it is described as left of UN. Photos page The Die Pair Table on page 6 helps summarize the key identifying obverse and reverse features of the 5 die marriages with known date and mintmark positions, plus several distinct and collectible die states. However, it is not a good starting point unless you can already identify some of the above features. 7. This 1850-O guide is based on a relatively small number of available images. Stephen Crain stated in a 2011 forum post, There are numerous as-yet unattributed die marriages for the 1850-O,. This is a reminder that it is important to positively identify both obverse and reverse before concluding a coin belongs to a particular known die marriage. The guide may also be improved in the future with some better images. 1

2 Obverse Date Positions photo array (zoom in high resolution) Reverse O mint mark sizes and Positions photo array (zoom in high resolution) 2

3 Obverse Cracks Dentils, star 3, arm V-1A only Star 1 to star 5 both V-1A and V-2a,b,c 3

4 Obverse Cracks V-1A: toe downhill to dentils (actually 3 cracks) V-2a,b,c: toe uphill to dentils Reverse Cracks V-1A: OF A V-1A: E3 (E in AMERICA) V-2b,c: right ribbon 4

5 Reverse Cuds V-2c: below U V-3a: left of UN Reverse Die Pits V-4 Die Pits near D STA 5

6 Die Pair Table (zoom in) The following pages have further details on each of the 5 known die marriages. The counts for examples, appearances, and the roster of highest grade examples are based on images downloaded from websites in late 2016 and 2017 which were of sufficiently high grade and high resolution (500 x 500 when cropped to the coin) for me to attribute them. Rarity & Attraction Summary V-1 R-4 Large high center O V-1A R-4 Cracks S3, most stars, rev. rim cuds, cracks U, E3 V-2 R-6 Left date, large slightly right O V-2a R-5 Cracks all stars V-2b R-5 Cracks all stars, reverse cracks V-2c R-5 Heavier cracks all stars, cud below U V-3 R-7? Large low O V-3a R-7 Rev. cud L of UN V-4 R-5 Small o, 15 CCW rotation, die pits near D STA V-5u R-7 Large low O V-6u R-7? Large O, 30 CCW rotation [not in Die Pair Table] 6

7 V-1 Obverse 1.1 slightly high, right Reverse A.1 large O, high Obv. 1.1: - Date slightly high distance from 1 to base is slightly less than the distance from 1 to dentils - Date right pendant above middle of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Date level, no cracks Rev. A.1: - No cracks or rim cuds - Large O, high, center, photo page 2 - Valentine: Large O; high. - R-4, 12 examples, 13 appearances 1 MS Heritage $7638 PCGS CAC Gardner listed: V-2 plate above 2 MS Heritage $823 NGC Hilt curved 11:30 3 AU Heritage $353 NGC Heritage $690 NGC Reiver listed: V-2 4 AU Heritage $235 NGC AU Heritage $353 ANACS AU Heritage $259 ANACS AU det Stack s Bowers $118 PCGS AU det Heritage $107 ANACS EF Heritage $161 PCGS

8 V-1A Obverse 1.2 cracks S3, S1-S5 Reverse A.2 cracks OFA, E3 Obv. 1.2: - Date slightly high distance from 1 to base is slightly less than the distance from 1 to dentils, level - Date right pendant above middle of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Cracks K9:30 to S3 to arm, S1-S5, S9-S13, toe downhill to rim, photos pages 3, 4 Rev. A.2: - Cracks K7 to UNI tops, OF A, E3, right stem, photos page 4 - Many rim cuds - Large O, high, center - Valentine: a faint break shows at third star. A break shows between F of OF and A of AMERICA. - R-4, 8 examples, 10 appearances 1 MS PCGS CoinFacts PCGS Heritage $11456 PCGS CAC MS Heritage $14100 PCGS CAC gold Gardner listed: V-2 2 MS PCGS Forum NGC CAC gold user afford 3 MS Goldberg $2990 NGC 4 MS Heritage $1293 PCGS Gardner listed: V-2 plate above 5 MS Heritage $1725 NGC Reiver 6 AU Heritage $494 PCGS AU Heritage $341 PCGS AU Heritage $408 ANACS Harmon 8

9 V-2 Obverse 2.1 date left, no cracks Reverse B.1 large O, sl. high Obv. 2.1: - Date high distance from 1 to base is about half the distance from 1 to dentils - Date left pendant right of right edge of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Date downhill - No cracks Rev. B.1: - No cracks - Large O, slightly high, slightly right, photo p.2 - Valentine described V-2a or V-2b as V-2 (see next page); this page is for the earliest die states. - It is possible that the examples below were struck from cracked dies, but that circulation wear, toning and photo quality have made the cracks very difficult to see. - R-6, 3 examples, 3 appearances. Combined rarity for V-2,a,b,c is R-3, 21 examples, 25 appareances. 1 AU ebay seller: sccyorkpa 2 AU det Heritage $100 ANACS AU det Heritage $127 NGC plate above 9

10 V-2a Obverse 2.2 light cracks all stars Reverse B.1 no cracks Obv. 2.2: - Date high distance from 1 to base is about half the distance from 1 to dentils - Date left pendant right of right edge of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Date downhill - Cracks S1-S7 head S8 cap S9-S13, toe uphill to rim, 1850, photos pages 3, 4 Rev. B.1: - No cracks - Large O, slightly high, slightly right, photo p.2 - Valentine, a faint die crack runs through nearly all the stars. - R-5, 6 examples, 6 appearances 1 MS Heritage $4935 PCGS plate above 2 AU Stack s Bowers $411 NGC AU Heritage $489 PCGS CAC 4 AU Heritage $212 PCGS AU Heritage $212 PCGS EF Heritage $114 PCGS

11 V-2b Obverse 2.2 light cracks all stars Reverse B.2 Rribbon, Rstem CA Obv. 2.2: - Date high distance from 1 to base is about half the distance from 1 to dentils, downhill - Date left pendant right of right edge of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Cracks S1-S7 head S8 cap S9-S13, toe uphill to rim, 1850, photos pages 3, 4 - LDS(?) crack S6 top point vertical to dentil Rev. B.2: - Cracks right ribbon, right stem CA, UNI tops, U to dentils, photo page 4 - Large O, slightly high, slightly right, photo p.2 - Valentine, a faint die crack runs through nearly all the stars. - Valentine and Blythe did not mention the reverse cracks. - R-5, 7 examples, 9 appearances 1 MS PCGS CoinFacts PCGS Simpson registry set plate above Heritage $2760 NGC listed: V-2 2 MS LSCC Forum NGC ex-pittman, from Teletrade 3 MS Stack s Bowers $633 NGC Heritage $578 NGC AU David Lawrence $460 PCGS AU det Heritage $112 NGC EF Heritage $153 PCGS CAC 7 VF Heritage $89 PCGS

12 V-2c Obverse 2.3 heavier cracks Reverse B.3 cud below U Obv. 2.3: - Date high distance from 1 to base is about half the distance from 1 to dentils, downhill - Date left pendant right of right edge of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Heavier Cracks S1-S7 head S8 cap S9-S13, toe uphill to rim, 1850, photos pages 3, 4 - Crack S6 top point vertical to dentil, S10 to dentil Rev. B.3: - Rim Cud into dentils below U, photos page 5 - Cracks right ribbon, right stem CA, from rim cud to UNI tops, photo page 4 - Large O, slightly high, slightly right, photo p.2 - Blythe (1992) p. 75, The [V-2] reverse has a large rim cud at 7 o clock near U of UNITED. - McCloskey, Gobrecht Journal #82, large rim cud below the left branch stem, photo of plate coin - Crain, Gobrecht Journal #84 (2002). He discovered that the V-2c and V-3a cuds are different. - R-5, 6 examples, 8 appearances 1 MS Heritage $2875 NGC listed: V-2 2 MS Heritage $881 NGC CAC plated above Stack s Bowers $646 NGC CAC Gobrecht Journal McCloskey article with plate coin 3 AU PCGS Registry PCGS Caldwell registry set 4 AU det Heritage $374 ANACS Blythe 5 EF Ebay seller: theconsignmenthub 6 VF det Ebay seller: dylanincarlsbad 12

13 V-3 Obverse 4 date low, right Reverse C.1 low O, no cracks Obv. 4: - Date low distance from 1 to base is almost twice the distance from 1 to dentils - Date right pendant above middle of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Date slightly downhill - No cracks Rev. C.1: - No cracks - Large O, low, left, photos p.2, and photos on pages below for V-3a, V-5u. - Valentine, Medium o, near wreath. His plate shows a large O, near wreath. A true medium o example has never been found. Accordingly, we describe the V-3 and V-3a here as large O. - R-7?, 0 examples, 0 appearances (in auctions ) 13

14 V-3a Obverse 4 low, right Reverse C.2 cud L of UN Obv. 4: - Date low distance from 1 to base is almost twice the distance from 1 to dentils - Date right pendant above middle of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Date slightly downhill - No cracks Rev. C.2: - Cud left of UN different from cud on V-2c, photos page 5 - Large O, low, left, photo p.2 - Pilliod, Gobrecht Journal #66, photo of discovery coin reverse with cud - Crain, Gobrecht Journal #84. He discovered that the V-2c and V-3a cuds are different. - Crain, Gobrecht Journal #84, This coin has a V-4 obverse but a different reverse. - It is my observation that this die marriage with the specific reverse cud has the V-3 obverse (same as V- 4 obverse), and a later die state V-3 reverse. This suggests the unofficial number V-3a. I compared the V-3a image above, the V-3 Valentine plate, and the single V-5u image the O size and position are the same on each. - R-7, 1 example, 1 appearance 1 F det Heritage $322 ANACS Blythe listed: V-2 label: V-2 plate above 14

15 V-4 Obverse 4 low, right Reverse D small o Obv. 4: - Date low distance from 1 to base is almost twice the distance from 1 to dentils - Date right pendant above middle of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Date slightly downhill - No cracks Rev. D: - Small o, low, left, photo page 2 - Die pits near D STA (these yield raised bumps on coins), photos page 5-15 degrees counterclockwise rotation - Valentine, Small o. Small pits in the die about UNITED STATES. - Crain, 2011 forum post, ALL [5] of my examples exhibited the very same 15 CCW rotation! - R-5, 6 examples, 6 appearances. - Crain, LSCC 2005 Half Dime Survey, Gobrecht Journal #95, March 2006, 18 examples, none above EF. 1 EF det Heritage $546 NGC plate above 2 VF Heritage $165 NGC VF Heritage $518 ANACS Blythe listed: V-4 4 VF David Lawrence $70 NGC VF PCGS CoinFacts PCGS VF det Heritage $92 NGC

16 V-5u Obverse 3 date middle, center Reverse C.1 low O, no cracks Obv. 1.3: - Date middle distance from 1 to dentils is about equal to distance from 1 to base - Date center pendant above right edge of lower curve of 5, photo page 2 - Date slightly downhill - No cracks Rev. C.1: - No cracks - Large O, low, left, photo p.2 - Previously unpublished, although Stephen Crain mentioned in the 2011 forum thread linked under V-4: There are numerous as-yet unattributed die marriages for the 1850-O, most if not all of these being the Large O variety. - R-7, 1 example, 1 appearance. 1 AU det Heritage $165 NGC plate above 16

17 V-6u [no photos available at present] Obverse? position unknown Reverse? large O, 30 degree rot. Obv.?: -? Rev.?: - Large O - 30 degrees counterclockwise rotation - Described by Stephen Crain the 2011 forum thread linked under V-4, The single example of the Large O Rotated Die in my reference collection (no Valentine number assigned as yet) has a significantly greater rotation, of 30 CCW, which is easily an eyeball variety. I have not yet determined whether or not this rotated die example is a die state of a known die marriage for the year, or if it is a new die marriage. - Scott, in the same 2011 thread, I happen to have an 1850-O large O half dime with a 30 degree CCW rotation. A very nice orginal PCGS VF30 example. - R-7?, 2 known, no recent auction appearances. 1 VF LSCC Forum PCGS Scott, trymenc registry set 2 VF LSCC Forum raw Stephen Crain 17

18 New and/or previously unpublished results in this study 1. Slope of crack from toe to dentils helps distinguish V-1A from V-2a,b,c. 2. Crack connecting date digits 1850 occurs on V-1A (not just on V-2). 3. Reverse crack at E3 helps identify V-1A. 4. Reverse crack at right ribbon helps identify V-2b,c. 5. The die marriage for the reverse cud left of UN is V-3a: V-3 and V-4 obverse, LDS V-3 reverse. Stephen Crain had previously noted that it has the V-4 obverse. 6. V-5u - a previously unpublished die marriage, with the same reverse die as V Unofficial die states for V-2 are listed separately as V-2, V-2a, V-2b and V-2c (cud). This is mainly for ease of exposition, although the V-2c cud is a distinct and collectable die state. Obsolete V- numbers None. Discussion The goal of this attribution guide is to assemble the die marriage info that I have gathered into a single place with good photos, to make attribution easier. The best source of info was Stephen Crain s posts on the LSCC Forum, particularly in discussing the two different reverse cuds and the rotated dies. Blythe s 1992 book stated that the two reverse cuds are different die states of the same reverse die, but Crain s letter to the editor in Gobrecht Journal #84 (2002) corrected this, noting they are from different reverse dies. Hopefully the photos and details provided here will help spread this knowledge. Possible future research - V-1A and V-2a,b,c have a rising crack connecting the date digits It appears to be quite similar on both obverse dies. Better photos (or actual coins and a microscope) would be helpful for studying it. - The V-4 small o reverse may link to one of the 1848-o small o reverses. The die pits may help with the match. Note: the only known 1849-O reverse has a large O. Its position is slightly high, left, which does not match the 1850-O reverses currently described in this guide. - Photos and further info on V-6u would be helpful. - Hopefully Stephen Crain will publish the info he has discovered on other as-yet unattributed die marriages, when his research is at an acceptable state of completion, of course. - A better photo of V-3 (instead of Valentine s plate) could be useful. 18

19 Links PCGS Auction Prices Realized PCGS Set Registry PCGS CoinFacts Heritage Auctions Stack s Bowers Galleries David Lawrence Rare Coins Liberty Seated Collectors Club Liberty Seated Half Dime Forum Gobrecht Journal archive Gobrecht Journal index and LSCC links Attribution methods used Location of this guide This guide is freely available for non-commercial distribution. Permission has been obtained from PCGS, Heritage Auctions, Stack s Bowers Galleries, David Lawrence Rare Coins and Alan Welty to reproduce their images. Portions of this guide may be submitted for possible publication in the Gobrecht Journal. Please send any questions, comments or corrections to me at: clint@stanford.edu. 19

1856-O half dime attribution guide (for EF and higher grade coins) by Clint Cummins draft

1856-O half dime attribution guide (for EF and higher grade coins) by Clint Cummins draft 2018-1-26 This guide was constructed by exhaustively checking images of 1856-O half dimes from Heritage Auctions