The E-Gobrecht

Volume 2, Issue 4, April 2006

Whole Number 13

This is an electronic publication of the Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC).  The LSCC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the attributions of the Liberty Seated Coin series.  The LSCC provides the information contained in this email newsletter from various sources free of charge as a general service to the membership and others with this numismatic interest.  You do not have to be a LSCC member to benefit from this newsletter; subscription to the E-Gobrecht is available to anyone.  All disclaimers are in effect as the completeness and/or accuracy of the information contained herein cannot be completely verified.

 Information, input, comments, or suggestions for improvements to this E-Gobrecht are actively solicited from anyone and may be sent to wb8cpy@arrl.net or by writing or calling:

     Bill Bugert

     Editor, E-Gobrecht

     P.O. Box 3761

     Gettysburg, PA 17325-6927

     (717) 337-0229

 To be added or removed from the E-Gobrecht mailing list, send an email message with the words "Subscribe/Unsubscribe" in the subject line of the message to wb8cpy@arrl.net.

 


Acknowledgements and Miscellaneous Notes from the Editor

 

Many thanks to Jim Gray, Gerry Fortin, Steve Crain, Len Augsburger, and the subscribers who corresponded with me.  There are some great articles and good information in this issue.  I am sending this issue in the body of the email; in the last issue, I had a few inquiries from individuals who stated they could not open the Microsoft Word attachment.  I suspect those difficulties arose from recipient web browser or anti-virus software settings but if you would like to have the Word document, please send me an email request and I will forward it to you separately.

 

Through the generosity of Gerry Fortin, the previous issues of the E-Gobrecht are readily accessible on his seated dime website at http://www.seateddimevarieties.com/LSCC.htm.

 We are now up to 142 E-Gobrecht subscribers!  I had two rejects for the last issue and four new subscribers this month.  Thanks to everyone for your interest and support.

 Please consider submitting something for print.  A simple email will suffice:  everyone knows something for which others are interested.  To quote Bill Luebke in the John Reich newsletter: “An interesting find, an unreported die state, your impressions of coin shows and auctions, a good cherry pick, an interesting anecdote, bizarre coins, news from other media, your collecting goals, neat coins from your collection, opinions regarding rarity and Condition Census, collector profiles, interesting (in both the good sense and the bad) eBay listings, questions, comments, and snide remarks.  Most anything will do.”


Features in this issue

 ==>  Auction News by Jim Gray.

==>  Establishing Rarity Weights for Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime Variety Set Evaluations by Gerry Fortin.

==>  New 1841 Half Dime variety discovered by Steve Crain.

==>  Christian Gobrecht medal, Judd-AM33 by Len Augsburger.

==>  Review of Gobrecht Journal Issue #95 by Len Augsburger.

==>  Recent email traffic.


Details

 ==>  Auction News by James C. Gray.

      Stacks March 2006 sale featured a portion of the Northern Bay Collection.  The sale started with half cents and went to twenty cent pieces and some provenances were given in the catalogue with the earliest dated 1954 and the latest dated 1973.  It thus appears that the collection was assembled in a period of at least twenty years.  Stacks advertisement for the sale stated that the collection had been off the market for more than thirty years.

     The sale began with a lovely AU or better 1793 half cent and contained a large number of mint state in proof half cents and large cents.  The Flying Eagle and Indian cents were complete from 1856 to 1909 in both mint state and proof for the Philadelphia issues, along with gem S mints from 1908 and 1909 (what a set!).

     The Liberty Seated half dimes and dimes had the unmistakable Wayte Raymond toning seen on untouched coins from that era.  Many of the half dimes and dimes had been cleaned or dipped when obtained for the collection, but the album toning had caused many of them to still be attractive.  Most of the Seated coins were mint state with some XF's and AU's and a few in VG-F.

      The half dime set was complete except for the 1858-O and the P mints from 1958 to 1873 were present in both proof and mint state.  Half dime rarities sold as follows; 1838-O XF/AU, $1,380, 1840-O with drapery AU, $2,085, 1842-O AU, $1,495, 1844-O cleaned XF, $920, 1846 strong XF, $3,163, 1849-O choice BU $2,300, and a beautifully toned 1853-O No Arrows in XF/AU for $3,738.

      The dimes were complete except for the 1871-CC, 1872-CC, and 1874-CC and, like the half dimes, contained mint state and proof examples of the Philadelphia issues from 1858 to 1891.

      The 1843-O graded Fine and sold for $322, the 1844 BU at $5,750, a very nice BU 1845-O at $17, 250, a nicely toned, strong AU 1846 listed as cleaned sold for $4,025.  The 1856-S was BU, but lightly cleaned and now beautifully retoned for $6,900, while the AU 1858-S was cleaned and sold for a paltry $1,092.  The 1859-S was a bright, cleaned AU that was acquired by the collector at Stacks 1969 Mile sale and went for $747, while the 1860-O in XF realized $5,750.

      Three S mint dimes went for huge prices.  The 1864-S was graded gem BU and sold for $32,200.  In contrast, an 1864-S in MS-64 (PCGS) sold for $3,220 in Heritage’s March 2006 Palm Beach sale.  Was the Stacks coin really 10 times better than the Heritage coin?  An 1865-S graded very choice BU sold for $34,500, while an 1866-S graded gem BU realized $32,200, twice the price realized for an MS-65 (PCGS) 1866-S dime in the Heritage sale.

      The only CC rarity was the 1873-CC in VG-F with porosity and scratches selling for $2,329.  The 1885-S was a nice Fine at $1,093.

     While the Wayte Raymond holders worked wonders for the silver coins, they were not kind to the nickel coinage.  Many of the nickel coins had dull gray or brown toning with streaks and spots.

      It is always a treat to see an entire auction catalogue without a single slabbed piece for sale.  Stacks was correct in this approach since, like the Akers sale of the Pittman Collection, bidders always give lovely, high quality coins the higher grade.

      With all of the high quality coins in this collection, one might wonder why the rare CC dimes were only represented by a single, low grade problem coin.  During the time that the collection was assembled, a number of collections, including the Empire, Holmes, and Miles contained high grade or mint state examples of the rare Carson City dimes.  Some of the other rarities in the sale were in much lower grade than the majority of the collection.  A look at the retail coin prices from the late 1950's gives the reason why these coins were not present in high grade.  According to the 1957 Redbook, mint state S mint dimes from 1861 to 1869 ranged in value from $17.50 to $35, while the four CC rarities cost $225 to $550.  It appears that the collector could purchase coins that sold for $50 or less, but did not have sufficient capital to acquire mint state or other nice examples of the rare pieces.  According to the auction catalogue, the collector's quarters and half dollars will be sold in Stacks May 2006 sale.

      In other auction news, the Heritage Palm Beach sale featured an 1842-O half dime in MS-64 that was well struck, but had been dipped with milky toning, yet still realized $4,830; an 1844-O nicely toned half dime in AU-58 went for $4,312.  A very weakly struck 1849-O half dime in MS-66 (oxymoron?) did not sell.

      Besides the two S mint coins that were sold in the sale and mentioned in the narrative for the Northern Bay Collection, the Heritage sale also contained an MS-61 1871-CC dime, which realized $46,000 in spite of an old light cleaning.

      The 1867-S quarter in AU-55 brought slightly more than $10,000 continuing the strong prices realized for this date.  A slightly rough 1870-CC quarter in VF-20 sold for $17, 250 while a well struck, deeply toned 1872-CC quarter in XF-40 sold for $8,625.

      There were 3 impaired Gobrecht Dollars from the issue of December 1836 in the sale.  The first of these pieces was catalogued as Fine details, net Good (Plugged, Tooled, and Whizzed).  This coin had seen its fair share of adventures, but still realized a $3,105, while a dipped 1873-CC Liberty Seated dollar with a flat head and a large reverse rim bruise commanded $57,500.

      The Bowers and Merena sale in March, 2006 featured a very nice 1846 half dime in AU-58 which went for $8,050 while a 1855-S half dollar in VF-20 with the E of LIBERTY gone and the BR weak still sold for $1,783.  A very nice, choice original 1871-CC dollar in G-6 sold for $3,738.

      The ANR Connoisseurs sale featured a complete set of Liberty Seated dimes by date, mintmark, and major variety.  The coins averaged from Fine to XF with many cleaned and damaged and 102 pieces were sold in one lot.  An 1860-O in Fine brought  $13,080 while the 1871-CC in VG-8 sold for $4,140 with the 1872-CC in F-12 going for $3,220.  There were two 1873-CC dimes in the sale, both graded by ANACS.  The first was graded VF-25, but appears to have been run over by a steam roller since the highest portion of Liberty's figure and the wreath were completely flat.  This coin realized $5,060 while a choice original 1873-CC in F-12 went for $7,475.  It is clear that the buyers looked at the two coins and not at the holders.  The 1874-CC dime ex-Eliasberg graded G-6 with a full Liberty, but some weakness toward the top of the letters in STATES, still realized an impressive $12,075 while an AU-55 1885-S sold for $3,450.

     The sale also contained two choice 1838-C half dimes, the first being an MS-64, which sold for $23,000 and another, graded MS-63, but not nearly as nice, did not sell.  An 1858-S dime in MS-63 with mottled toning sold for $17,250 while an AU-58 1859-S dime went for $9,075.

      The 1864-S quarter in AU-58 went for $8,050, while an AU-53 1855-S with arrows half dollar sold for $5,520.  A choice original 1870-CC half dollar in VF-25 PCGS was pictured and the E in Liberty was gone and the R was very weak.  This coin did not sell.

      A beautiful, well struck 1850-O dollar in MS-64 did not sell, but the 1851 and the 1852 original dollars both sold as they always do.  The 1851 was graded MS-62 and sold for $46,000 while the 1852 original in AU-58 sold for almost $35,000, in spite of a weak strike on Liberty's head.  A very nice original 1871-CC dollar in VF-30 did not sell, perhaps because of the slightest weakness in the BER of Liberty on the scroll.

      March was a very busy time for auctions and a number of choice Seated coins were available for purchase.

Question of the Month

If you needed a very fine 1870-CC half dollar for your collection, would you pay a full VF-25 price for a piece graded VF-25 by PCGS with the E of Liberty worn off and the R weak?  Send your comments to the Editor, E Gobrecht.

 


==>  Establishing Rarity Weights for Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime Variety Set Evaluations by Gerry Fortin.

     As the beginning of April approaches, the LSCC sponsored Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime Varieties and General Population surveys have been mailed back to Paul Bradley and the task of tabulating the results now awaits me and Paul.  It was decided that I would handle the Top 100 survey forms while Paul will assemble the General Population outcomes.  Response from LSCC club members has been excellent, as we have received nearly 75 responses to date.  I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to scrutinize their seated dime collections and completed the survey forms.  Since this survey was the initial polling of LSCC membership for Top 100 varieties, I recognize the response process took considerable time due to the need to attribute the dime varieties in member collections, if not previously accomplished.

      Paul Bradley has started tabulating the General Population survey responses and has scanned and emailed me the Top 100 varieties survey forms for that tally effort.  Counting the survey results will be a nice after hours activity, as Wuxi is not the entertainment capital of China and can make for dull evenings.  So, the tallying process is underway and the outcome should reveal initial Top 100 rarity information.

      Most LSCC survey summary articles published in the Gobrecht Journal focus on the presentation of date and mintmark population findings.  The author then provides commentary to help club members appreciate survey outcomes against previously understood rarity opinions for individual dates and mintmarks.  For the forthcoming Top 100 Varieties survey report, I will prepare an article that touches upon individual variety populations but also wish to focus on complete or nearly complete Top 100 sets.  Most collectors strive to build complete sets of seated coinage and now the opportunity exists to build a complete set of the Top 100 seated dime varieties as an alternate collecting objective.  How does one appraise Top 100 survey responses in term of set completeness considering the individual variety rarity can range from common to extremely rare?  A Top 100 Varieties set assessment method must recognize that both variety rarity and state of preservation are variables that contribute to an advanced set.

 Top 100 Variety Set Evaluation Method

      Since I am an active participant in the PCGS and NGC registry set programs, I first examined the PCGS and NGC set evaluation methods for alternatives for evaluating the reported Top 100 Variety sets.  The PCGS and NGC approaches are quite different.  PCGS uses a weighted set approach by assigning rarity weights from 1 through 10 for the dates in most of their registry sets.  NGC, on the other hand, assigns a point score that is dependant on the date’s perceived rarity and its certified grade.  Frankly, I like the PCGS approach for its simplicity.  One has to initially define the rarity weights for each date in a set, then with some easy math, average weighted set grades and set ratings are determined.  How are the average weighted set grades and set ratings calculated?  For the Average Weighted Grade, the grade of each set entry is multiplied by its assigned rarity.  We can call that product a weighted rarity grade.  The weighted rarity grades are added together and divided by the total of the assigned rarity number for each coin entered into the set.  This approach recognizes both rarity and grade for individual pieces within a set while placing more weight on the most difficult coins to obtain.  A Set Rating can be calculated as the totaled weighted rarity grades divided by the totaled rarity weights.  If a set is 100% complete, then the Set Rating equals the Average Weighted Grade.

      Now comes the hard part…building a listing of the Top 100 Varieties with assignments of variety rarity weights.  As with the PCGS approach, each variety was given a rarity weight from 1 to 10 with the (1) weight being allocated to a very common variety while the (10) weight is for an excessively rare variety.  In my web-book, I estimate individual variety rarities for grades of VF or better.  For the evaluation of completed or partial sets in the Top 100 Varieties survery response, I assigned the 1 to 10 rarity weight for total availability in grades from Good through Mint State.  This designation of rarity weights was done subjectively and is based on my experiences for locating each Top 100 variety.  Also consider was the initial survey response tabulations as another benchmark.  I tested the rarity weight numerical assignments by comparing each variety’s perceived availability against others in the Top 100 set to see if there were obvious inequities for the allocated rarity weights. 

      Below is the listing of assigned rarity weights for the Top 100 Seated Dime Varieties.  Again, these weights will be use to evaluate and score the completeness and overall state of preservation for complete and partial sets found within the survey submissions.   You are most welcomed to review, contemplate and provide feedback on the individual variety weights.   Since the E-Gobrecht has 140+ readers, this should be a good forum to test out the Top 100 rarity weights for accuracy and acceptance.  In the future, I plan to update the www.seateddimevarieties.com web-book with the rarity weights and if possible, attempt to host a small registry page for Top 100 Variety collections.  Thank you for your time, comments are most welcomed and can be sent to me at wuximems@hotmail.com.

 Top 100

Date

Variety References

Description

Rarity Weight

 

 

Fortin Ahwash Greer

 

 

1

1837

F-101c

Large Date, Clashed Obverse and Reverse

6

2

1837

F-103a

Small Date, Reverse Horizontal Die Crack

2

3

1838-O

F-101     A-1   G-101

Repunched  Huge O Mintmark

3

4

1838

F-101a   A-1

Small Stars

1

5

1838

F-103b   A-3   G-102

Vertically Cracked Reverse Die

4

6

1838

F-106     A-5   G-103

Cracked Obverse Die #1

2

7

1838

F-108a   A-6

Partial Drapery Obverse

2

8

1838

F110a              G-104

Cracked Obverse Die #2

6

9

1838

F111a              G-105

Cracked Obverse Die #3

4

10

1839

F-105b   A-2   G-101

Pie Shaped Shattered Obverse

10

11

1839-O

F-103     A-5   G-104

Small O Obverse/ Large O Reverse

7

12

1839-O

F-104a   A-3   G-102

Repunched Large O mintmark

3

13

1839-O

F-106a   A-6   G-101

Cobweb Shattered Reverse Die

2

14

1839-O

F-108     A-7

Polished Obverse/Huge O Reverse

4

15

1840 ND

F-103               G-101

Chin Whiskers Variety

3

16

1840-O

F-106     A-2

Medium O Mintmark With Die Crack

5

17

1841

F-103               G-101

Repunched 184 Digits

3

18

1841

F-105               G-102

Repunched 841 Digits

5

19

1841-O

F-101     A-1   G-102

Transitional Large O Closed Bud Reverse

7

20

1841-O

F-102               G-101

Transitional Small O Closed Bud Reverse

9

21

1842

F-103a   A-3

Large Obverse Rim Cud at 10:00

3

22

1842-O

F-102a             G-102

Shattered Reverse Die, Med O Mintmark

4

23

1842-O

F-103     A-3   G-101

Shattered Reverse Die of 1841

4

24

1842-O

F104a    A-4

Small O Mintmark, Rim Cud at 10:00

5

25

1843

F-102     A-2   G-101

Repunched 1843 Digits

1

26

1845

F-103     A-2   G-101

Repunched 45 Digits

3

27

1845

F-107               G-103

Repunched 1845 Digits

3

28

1845-O

F-102

Huge O Mintmark

6

29

1847

F-101     A-1   G-101

Date Punch Overlaps Base

2

30

1849

F-104     A-3   G-101

Repunched 8 and 9 Digits

4

31

1849-O

F-104     A-3   G-103

Repunched 184 Digits, Small O

3

32

1851

F-105               G-101

Repunched 851 Digits

2

33

1852

F-105     A-4   G-101

Repunched 52 Digits

3

34

1853 NA

F-101a

Heavily Clashed No Arrows Obverse

5

35

1853  WA

F-107              G-103

Repunched 853 Digits, Unhubbed Obverse

5

36

1853-O

F-104a            G-101

Shattered Obverse

6

37

1854

F-104a            G-102

Shattered Obverse Die #1

3

38

1854-O

F-102              G-101

Shattered Obverse Die

6

39

1854-O

F-103

Cracked Obverse Die/Oblique Mintmark

3

40

1855

F-103              G-101

Doubled Die Obverse #2

3

41

1856 SD

F-108              G-101

Doubled Die Obverse East

2

42

1856 SD

F-110

Doubled Die Obverse North

6

43

1856-O

F-104    A-2   G-102

Repunched 56 Digits Up

1

44

1856-O

F-105    A-3   G-101

Repunched 56 Digits Down

3

45

1857-O

F-101    A-1   G-102

Strike Doubled Date and Stars

8

46

1859

F-103    A-2   G-101

Misplaced 9 Digit In Gown

3

47

1860

F-106

Doubled Lips, Doubled Die Obverse

5

48

1861 T1

F-101    A-1

Rusted Type I Obverse Die

3

49

1861 T2

F-105              G-101

Heavily Rusted Reverse/Type II Obverse Die

8

50

1862

F-103              G-101

Gouged Reverse Die

5

51

1868

F-103    A-3   G-101

Repunched 18 Digits

4

52

1868

F-105    A-5   G-102

Misplaced 1 Digits In Base, Proofs

6

53

1869

F-101    A-1

Short Flag 1 Date - Obverse 1

6

54

1870

F-104    A-3   G-101

Repunched 870 Digits

2

55

1871

F-101              G-101

Repunched 18 Digits, Proofs Only

7

56

1872

F-105

Flipped Doubled Die Reverse

4

57

1872

F-106              G-101

Repunched Date

2

58

1872

F-109               G104

Misplaced 2 Digit, Proofs

7

59

1873 C3

F-103              G-101

Repunched Date

2

60

1873 WA

F-103              G-101

Doubled Shield, Doubled Die Obverse

6

61

1874

F-103              G-101

Repunched 74 Digits

3

62

1874

F-106              G-102

Polished Arrows

10

63

1875

F-17                G-104

Misplaced 1 In Denticles

4

64

1875-S IW

F-101a

Shattered Reverse Die

3

65

1875-S BW

F-104

Unfilled Micro S Mintmark

6

66

1875-CC IW

F-109

CC IW - Circular Cracked Obverse

2

67

1875-CC BW

F-102a

CC BW - Circular Cracked Obverse

4

68

1876

F-104              G-101

Doubled Die Reverse

4

69

1876-S

F-101              G-101

Boldly Repunched Date

7

70

1876-CC

F-105    A-6   G-101

Doubled Die Obverse/Greer Reverse C

4

71

1876-CC

F-106    A-5   G-101

Doubled Die Obverse/Greer Reverse A

2

72

1876-CC

F-107              G-101

Doubled Die Obverse/Greer Reverse B

1

73

1876-CC

F-110              G-103

Repunched 18 Digits

4

74

1876-CC

F-111              G-104

Misplaced 76 Digits

3

75

1876-CC

F-101    A-4

Type II Reverse

5

76

1877

F-105              G-103

Misplaced 1 Digit in Base/Type II Reverse

7

77

1877-S

F-101    A-2

Repunched 18 Digits

2

78

1877-CC

F-107    A-9

Die Scratch in Shield, Repunched Date

3

79

1878-CC

F-104    A-3   G-101

Severely Polished Type II Reverse

3

80

1882

F-102    A-2   G-101

Repunched 18 Digits

3

81

1886

F-105              G-101

Repunched 86 Digits

2

82

1887-S

F-104    A-4   G-102

Medium S Over S In Top Loop

3

83

1887-S

F-107

Shattered Reverse Die

8

84

1888

F-102a   A-2

Excessively Polished Reverse Proof Die

6

85

1888

F-106

Triple Misplaced Digits in Gown

6

86

1888-S

F-107             G-101

Misplaced 8 Digit in Base / Med S over S

4

87

1889

F-103             G-103

Repunched Date and Misplaced Digit

7

88

1889

F-104

Doubled Die Reverse #1

3

89

1889

F-106

Doubled Die Reverse #3

4

90

1890

F-105             G-101

Misplaced Digit

3

91

1890

F-106             G-102

Four Misplaced Digits in Gown

5

92

1890-S

F-104             G-105

Doubled Die Obverse / Medium S over S

5

93

1890-S

F-109             G-103

Misplaced Digit

3

94

1891

F-107             G-101

Misplaced Digit in Denticles

4

95

1891

F-109             G-104

Doubled Die Obverse

7

96

1891-O

F-106a   A-4

Repunched 89 Digits, Clashed Dies

4

97

1891-O

F-108     A-6

Shattered Reverse

4

98

1891-O

F-109     A-7  G-101

Medium O over Horizontal O Mintmark

5

99

1891-O

F-111

Repunched 89 Digits / Med O over Small S

3

100

1891-S

F-105    A-5   G-101

Medium S over Small S

2

 As always…..Happy Hunting.  Gerry.


==>  New 1841 Half Dime variety discovered by Steve Crain.  The following details the recent 'discovery' of a previously unpublished misplaced date numeral variety for the 1841 half dimes.  Some of your readers may find it interesting and may want to take a closer look at their own examples to see if they might have an example that went unnoticed.

      Frank Van Valen, staff numismatist and Liberty Seated specialist at American Numismatic Rarities, contacted me recently, just prior to their 'New York Connoisseur’s Collection' sale of March 14-15, to discuss an anomaly he had seen on an 1841 half dime consigned to that sale.  The coin was a spectacular MS-67 example (lot #497), which, due to its high grade, was probably destined for someone’s type set rather than a specialist’s date or die marriage set.  This is unfortunate, because Frank had discovered a misplaced date numeral in the gown adjacent to the skirt bulla, or pendant.  Unable to find any mention of this variety in the available literature, he contacted me to see if I had seen it before.  From his description over the phone, I was not able to readily attribute the coin to any die marriage that I had seen, so he agreed to send the coin to me for study.  Upon receiving the coin, I analyzed it using standard analysis techniques including date placement, shield line position, bulla position, and date numeral position relative to dentils.  The coin turned out to be an as yet unpublished die marriage, not listed in the Valentine reference or any subsequent literature, but one that I had not only seen before, but actually have two examples in my reference collection.  It will be assigned a sequential V-number in my pending book on the series.  However, I had never noticed the misplaced date numeral in the gown (my two examples [VF-30 and AU-53] are somewhat lower grade than MS-67!).

      The misplaced date numeral consists of the serif and a portion of the upright of either a 1 or a 4 (Frank had originally determined it to be a 1, but I pointed out that it could also be a 4).  The obverse die may be identified as follows:

 Shield Line (SL) – 8.5

Shield Point (SP) – Over left edge of upright of first 1

Bulla (pendant) – Over right edge of upright of 4

Date numeral position relative to dentils: 1/L  8/LE  4/R  1/C

      The ANR on-line lot description was presented as follows (my confirmation of the misplaced date numeral came too late to appear in the printed auction catalog):

      “Random 1 or 4 in drapery.  A satiny gem with intense champagne toning highlights over bold underlying cartwheel lustre.  Sharply struck from modestly clashed dies, with recognizable clash marks on both sides; for instance, the date is plainly visible at the top of the reverse at TES OF.  Curiously, the base of a misplaced numeral 1 or 4 can be seen in the drapery immediately upward to the right of the weight [bulla] that holds Liberty's hemline—curious chiefly because there are countless numbers of 1841 half dimes available in just about any grade from G-4 up to MS-67, as here. That this obvious variety (easily said now that it has been discovered!) has gone undetected for 165 years shows that there's always something new under the numismatic sun!  A beautiful coin, at the top of the heap for quality and aesthetics, as well as the discovery specimen of what could prove to be an elusive variety.  What more can advance half dime specialists ask for?  PCGS Population: 4; none finer.

     As noted above, the present gem 1841 half dime has what is unmistakably the lower right serif and portion of the upright of a 1 or a 4 hiding in the drapery near the weight that holds Liberty's hemline.  Additionally, nearly every obverse star has tiny artifacts in the fields around the points.  Unlisted in any of the standard references on the series as well as other important references, and unknown to the prominent half dime specialists contacted by the writer (FVV).  One thing is certain: once this variety becomes published knowledge for the general collecting population, many half dime specialists will be closely examining their 1841s for examples of this new and currently unique variety!”

      Maybe not completely unknown, as the obverse die had been identified as new, and unlisted in Valentine, but the misplaced digit had not been previously identified, and it is not unique, as there are now three (3) examples known.  Take a look at your 1841 Liberty Seated half dimes, and see if you might also have an example of this intriguing variety. The ANR coin may be seen at the following URL: www.anrcoins.com/lotdetai...AN00033064

      In a slightly later die state, as on my AU-53 example, there is a small die crack from the right stem to the rim.

      With such a small population reported at present, it is impossible to even guess the scarcity of this die marriage.  Only a much larger reported census would allow the rarity to be known.  My guess would be that, now that the MPD is known, and people know what to look for and where, more will be found.  I do know that the reverse die used in this marriage was later used in another die marriage for the year (1841), which was also not listed by Valentine.  The total number of die marriages for the Liberty Seated half dime series is presently a work in progress, but will ultimately number in excess of 500 die marriages, or more than twice the number listed by Valentine in 1931.


==>  Christian Gobrecht medal, Judd-AM33 by Len Augsburger.  At the recent Baltimore show, I purchased my first Christian Gobrecht engraved medal.  This silver medal, Judd-AM33, was an award medal commissioned by the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanics Association.  These groups, numerous in the 19th century, encouraged technological progress through grand exhibitions and awards, which frequently were medals.  The obverse of this piece was engraved by Christian Gobrecht in 1837, and is signed “C. GOBRECHT F.” to the lower left (“F.” abbreviates “FECIT” in Latin, meaning, “made by”).  It would be interesting to compare this signature to the identical signatures on the Gobrecht dollars produced at the same time.  Quite possibly the signatures were made from the same letter punches, as this medal was produced by the U.S. Mint.  The reverse of the medal remained blank, until specifically engraved for an award winner.  My example reads AWARD TO / ENOCH ROBINSON / FOR IMPROVED DOOR / SPRINGS AND KNOBS / EXHIBITION OF / 1841.  A search on Google provided the following information about Mr. Robinson: “Enoch Robinson (1801–1888) of Boston influenced building, construction, and hardware throughout the United States.  His influence changed the decorative hardware industry, and examples of his originality remain today”.

      Coincidently, a related item had appeared on eBay a few weeks ago (below).  The seller described a 19th century tintype depicting a reversed image of the Massachusetts medal.  The seller believed this to be a photograph of the actual die used to strike the Massachusetts medal.  I bid on the item but was sniped at the last minute (it sold for $61).  The die remained at the Mint for some time after its production (Robert Julian found it listed in a register of dies at the mint) but may have passed at some point directly to the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanics Association or some dignitary associated with that group.

      The medal is known in both gold and silver.  A gold impression was in Bowers 6/1975:657, another in Stack’s Ford V 10/2004:277.  Bill Cregan, in GJ #61 (11/1994), wrote about an example of the same medal, issued in 1839.  Cregan felt that the obverse image was evocative of the Liberty Seated design.

 

Tintype of the Christian Gobrecht engraved medal, Judd-AM33

 


==>  Review of Gobrecht Journal Issue #95 by Len Augsburger.

 

     Issue #95 of the Gobrecht Journal, March 2006, is now in the mail.  Articles in this issue include Steve Crain's half dime survey results, which included 70 participants.  A total of 6,522 coins are included in the survey.  Steve spent a lot of time in Excel putting this all together.  Thanks, Steve!  Elsewhere, Robert Izydore looks at the seated quarters sold at the 2006 FUN auctions, discussing the current strong market for seated coinage.  Tim Cook presents an 1876-S with a misplaced date in the denticles.  Paul Bradley, another dime specialist, discusses pricing of New Orleans and San Francisco dimes, continuing his series, which began with Carson City dimes previously.  Michael Fey covers the 1873 doubled obverse dime, a mystifying issue that exhibits a strongly doubled shield in the absence of any other obvious obverse doubling.

      John McCloskey analyzes sets of 1871-1874 CC dimes presented at auction since 1965.  John makes many interesting observations by using the concept of relative grading.  Since grading may change over time, grading comparisons made at the same time will tend to be more consistent.  With this idea, one can answer questions such as, "In any given set of CC dimes, how often is the 1874-CC the highest graded of the set?"  John separately covers an off center 1856 small date dime which resided in his collection for many years and which he had not thoroughly studied.  Len Augsburger writes about the Frog Run set of seated coinage, which has now been sold in two ANR sales, and separately discusses the history of the 1873-CC No Arrows dime.  One detail I would like to add about this coin, it was purchased by Rusty Goe out of the Jim Gray sale (Bowers and Merena July, 2004) and has since been placed in a world class set of Carson City coinage.


==>  Email traffic.  Here are some emails the Editor recently received:

     Gerry Fortin:  Just to let you know that I will have a neat submission for the next E-G.  I would like to use the E-G for announcing the Top 100 Seated Dime Varieties set evaluation criteria.  The approach is similar to that use by PCGS where a weighed system is applied to each date based on rarity/value.  Once the individual date’s weight is established, then a weighted average grade and set rating can be calculated.  This criterion is the basis for the forthcoming survey article in the GJ.  However, we would get double duty first with the criteria in the E-G, then the results in the GJ.  This article should continue to bring attention to seated dimes and the Top 100 varieties.

 Having you been watching the latest Stack’s and ANR auction prices?  Seems like dime prices have shifted into high gear.  Are the halves also seeing the same attention with big monies?  I am so glad that my set was completed within the past few years.  I cannot image trying to rebuild my set at today’s prices.  Gerry

      George Huber:  Please add me to your list, thanks!  I am a contract cataloger for Heritage Rare Coins and a part-time dealer.

      Weimar White:  Hi Bill, I would be pleased to get additional information on seated liberty coinage by e-mail.  I have wondered when our club will be selling the COLLECTIVE VOLUME NO. 5 book.  It seems as if it has been in the works for a long time now.

Cheers---Weimar

      Recent find by Bill Bugert.  I was very happy and excited to recently find a rare 1875-S micro S mintmark half dollar.  Purchased unattributed, it is pictured below and is a low grade, problem free example of this rarity.  This variety has one of the four mintmark sizes used for 1875-S half dollars, was first publicized by Larry Briggs in the July 1989 issue of the Gobrecht Journal, and is listed as variety WB-105 in The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars.  It is readily identified by the small blob type mintmark centered in the field between the olive stem tip and the left edge of the letter (HAL)F and is the first use of this size mintmark in the half dollar series.  It is known in two major die states: the first has unclashed dies and drapery below Liberty’s elbow and the second, in a later die state, has no drapery and a clash in the lower right reverse shield.  With the help of many half dollar numismatists, I am currently compiling a listing of known examples.  This coin brings the total to less than 20 examples known to Randy Wiley and me.  Most known examples are heavily circulated with a Choice AU55 as the finest known grade.  This is the second 1875-S micro S reported in the E-Gobrecht; Michael Fey found a Fine with a reverse counterstamp as reported in E-Gobrecht, Volume 1, Issue 3.  Check your collections for this rare variety.

 

Obverse

1875-S Micro S Half Dollar

Reverse

1875-S Micro S Half Dollar

 

Calendar

-  Latest issue of the Gobrecht Journal – The March issue was postal mailed in late March.

-  LSCC Regional meeting – Central States Convention, April 28, 9:00 AM

-  LSCC Annual meeting – 2006 ANA Convention, August 2006, TBD


Information on the Liberty Seated Collectors Club

 The LSCC Pledge.  To encourage, promote, and dispense numismatic knowledge of the Liberty Seated coins; to cultivate fraternal relations among its members and all those interested in the science of numismatics.

 LSCC Officers.

     President:  John McCloskey.

     Vice-President:  Larry Briggs.

     Secretary/Treasurer:  Mark Sheldon.

LSCC Membership Information.  Dues are $15 per year and include three issues of the Gobrecht Journal, an award winning numismatic publication.  To join the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, for Gobrecht Journal mailing address changes, or for other membership questions, correspond with the LSCC Secretary Mark Sheldon at P.O. Box 261, Wellington, OH 44090.

 Articles, comments, or advertisements for publication in the Gobrecht Journal may be addressed to the LSCC President:

     John W. McCloskey

     President, LSCC, and Editor, Gobrecht Journal

     Email address:  John.McCloskey@notes.udayton.edu