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The Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime Varieties
Top 100 Varieties Pricing Guide
Selecting the Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime varieties was no easy task. Before starting the selection process, I thought it best to first define the desired numismatic goals and outcomes for this Seated dime web-book section. By understanding the basis for picking the Top 100 Varieties, hopefully web-book users and variety collectors would tackling this advanced collecting challenge.
Following are the numismatic outcomes that I hoped to accomplish with the Top 100 Varieties set objective.
- Expand the size of the Liberty Seated collecting community by raising awareness of an alternate collecting approach for Liberty Seated Dime varieties. This objective would require that future collectors be aware of not only date and mintmark rarities within the Liberty Seated Dime series, but also build an understanding of the die preparation process, die wear and minting conditions in the mid 1800’s. I believe that collectors will become more dedicated to a long term relationship with a particular series if time is taken to acquire in depth knowledge about that series.
- Top 100 Seated Dime varieties to be an important cross section of die variety types universally accepted and popular with collectors of all United States coinage. Important die variety types include repunched dates and mintmarks, misplaced date punches, excessive die wear and shattering of dies, die doubling during the die hubbing process and other important reasons that renders a variety as a highly collectable item. Attempting the Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime varieties should increase a collector’s working knowledge of the die preparation and minting process.
- There must be a competitive challenge, comradeship and excitement while assembling a Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime variety set. The set may be achievable in circulated or Mint State grades but at the same time, it must be a challenging long term project that brings about enthusiasm and sense of accomplishment when the set is fully assembled. I believe that the completion of the Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime varieties set should be a major numismatic event and should be announced within Liberty Seated Collectors Club via the E-Gobrecht. To date, only two collectors have completed the Top 100 Varieties set; Gerry Fortin and Dale Miller.
Selecting the Top 100 Varieties
The selection criteria for the Top 100 Varieties were first developed as a guiding process. The criteria focused on the following die variety attributes;;
- Historically recognized as an important Liberty Seated Dime variety in prior reference books by Kamal Ahwash and Brian Greer and/or Gobrecht Journal publications.
- Selecting a balance of varieties based on rarity to maintain the collector’s interest throughout the project. Some of the varieties should be immediately available through dealer price lists or eBay without much searching. Other varieties should be moderately to extremely challenging to locate. Obtaining these moderate to challenging varieties would require special attention to major auctions or building personal relationships with dealers or fellow Liberty Seated Collector Club members.
- A cross section of the major variety types currently pursued within numismatics today, again bringing attention to the die preparation process and subsequent die usage and terminal die states.
Top 100 Varieties Rarity Distribution
I assessed the frequency of estimated rarities, from the web-book, and determined the number of listings at each rarity level. The following table illustrates the rarity level distribution for the Top 100 Varieties set. All rarity ratings are for VF or better specimens.
Rarity 1
– 0 Rarity 3 – 35
Rarity 5 – 17 Rarity
7 – 1
Rarity 2 – 1 Rarity 4 –
32 Rarity 6 – 12
Rarity 8 – 2
NGC Recognizes the Top 100 Varieties within VarietyPlus Service®
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) has announced that it will now attribute Liberty Seated Dime varieties listed in the “Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime Varieties” online reference by collector and researcher Gerry Fortin. The varieties will be attributed on the NGC certification label with an “F” number under NGC’s VarietyPlus® service.
Open Registry at SeatedDimeVarieties.com
Collectors are invited to post their Top 100 Varieties set in the Open Registry. Presently, there are nearly a dozen individuals building Top 100 sets per the Open Registry list. The Open Registry is a multi function online system that provides set tracking, scoring and publicity. Raw and slabbed coins can be entered into the Open Registry so a set targeted in Fine grade is as important as an EF or better set with all submitted sets receiving the same display attention. Please consider joining the Open Registry as part of your Seated coinage collecting experience.
The Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime Varieties
Click on the underlined dates or images to access detailed web-book descriptions for each Top 100 variety
Variety Number |
Date & Rarity |
Obverse Image |
Reverse Image |
Variety Types |
Explanation and Descriptions |
1 |
R4 |
Die Cracks Clashed Die |
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2 |
R3 |
Date Punch Size Die Cracks |
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3 |
R3 |
Repunched Mintmark |
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4 |
R3 |
Small Stars Punch |
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5 |
R4 |
Die Crack |
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6 |
R3 |
Die Crack |
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7 |
R4 |
Die Clashing Resulting in "Partial Drapery" |
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8 |
R5 |
Die Crack |
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9 |
R3 |
Die Crack |
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10 |
R8 |
Shattered Obverse Die |
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11 |
Rare
Die Pairing |
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12 |
Repunched Mintmark Die Crack |
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13 |
Shattered
Reverse Die |
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14 |
Mintmark
Size |
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15 |
Die
Scratches |
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16 |
Mintmark
Size |
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17 |
Repunched
Date |
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18 |
Repunched
Date |
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19 |
Transitional
Design Die Pairing |
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20 |
Transitional
Design Die Pairing |
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21 |
Rim
Cud |
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22 |
Shattered
Reverse Die |
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23 |
Shattered
Reverse Die |
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24 |
Mintmark
Size |
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25 |
Repunched
Date |
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26 |
Repunched
Date |
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27 |
Repunched
Date |
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28 |
Mintmark
Size Variation |
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29 |
Date
Position |
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30 |
Repunched
Date |
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31 |
Repunched
Date |
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32 |
Repunched
Date |
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33 |
Repunched
Date |
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34 |
Clashed
Die |
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35 |
Repunched
Date |
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36 |
Shattered
Die |
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37 |
Shattered
Die |
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38 |
Shattered
Die |
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39 |
Die Cracks |
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40 |
Double
Die Obverse |
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41 |
Double
Die Obverse |
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42 |
Double
Die Obverse |
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43 |
Repunched
Date |
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44 |
Repunched
Date |
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45 |
Double
Die Obverse |
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46 |
Misplaced
Date |
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47 |
Double
Die Obverse |
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48 |
Type I Obverse Design Die State |
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49 |
Type II Obverse Die State |
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50 |
Die
Scratch |
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51 |
Repunched
Date |
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52 |
Misplaced
Date (Proof) |
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53 |
Short
Flag 1 Date Punch Design |
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54 |
Repunched
Date |
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55 |
Repunched
Date (Proof) |
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56 |
Doubled
Die Reverse |
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57 |
Repunched
Date |
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58 |
Misplaced
Date (Proof) |
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59 |
Repunched
Date |
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60 |
Double
Die Obverse |
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61 |
Repunched
Date |
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62 |
No
Arrows |
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63 |
Misplaced
Date |
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64 |
Shattered
Die |
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65 |
Mintmark
Size |
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66 |
Die
Cracks |
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67 |
Die
Cracks |
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68 |
Doubled
Die Reverse |
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69 |
Repunched
Date |
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70 |
Double
Die Obverse |
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71 |
Double
Die Obverse |
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72 |
Double
Die Obverse |
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73 |
Repunched
Date |
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74 |
Misplaced
Date |
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75 |
Type
II Reverse Design |
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76 |
Misplaced
Date |
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77 |
Repunched
Date |
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78 |
Overdate
and Repunched Date |
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79 |
Polished
Die |
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80 |
Repunched
Date |
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81 |
Repunched
Date |
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82 |
Repunched
Mintmark |
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83 |
Shattered
Die |
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84 |
Polished
Dies |
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85 |
Misplaced
Date |
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86 |
Misplaced
Date and Repunched Mintmark |
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87 |
Repunched
Date and Misplaced Date |
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88 |
Doubled
Die Reverse |
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89 |
Doubled
Die Reverse |
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90 |
Misplaced
Date |
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91 |
Misplaced
Date |
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92 |
Doubled
Die Obverse and Repunched Mintmark |
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93 |
Misplaced
Date |
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94 |
Misplaced
Date |
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95 |
Doubled
Die Obverse |
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96 |
Repunched
Date and Potential Repunched Mintmark |
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97 |
Shattered
Die |
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98 |
Repunched
Mintmark |
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99 |
Repunched
Date and Repunched Mintmark |
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100 |
Repunched
Mintmark, Medium over Small S |
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NGC Signature Set Template For Top 100 Varieties
A Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime Varieties template was created at the NGC Registry website by using the Signature set creation option. NGC's pioneering approach to the creation of custom Signature sets is enabling collectors of all means to exhibit their sets on the web. By using the Signature set creation routines, I was able to construct a template for other collectors to use as a display or inventory system. Of course the limitation is that your dimes must be slabbed by either NGC or PCGS. If you are a collector of raw coins, then you might consider using the PDF inventory tracking sheets that I've created. See them below.
You can access the NGC Signature Top 100 Variety template here at the NGC Registry site.
PDF Inventory Tracking Sheets For Top 100 Varieties
Top 100 tracking sheets for general usage can be downloaded here. These sheets can be printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you would like the Microsoft Excel worksheet versions, just send me an email at wuximems@hotmail.com!
Download PDF Files Sheet 1 - Varieties 1 - 50 Sheet 2 - Varieties 51 - 100
The Top 100 Liberty
Seated Dime Varieties
2006 LSCC Survey Results
In early 2006, the Liberty Seated Collector's Club conducted a Top 100 Liberty Seated Dime Varieties survey among its club members. The survey was the first opportunity to test rarity assumptions across the broad spectrum of Top 100 varieties published in late 2004. A report of survey results was published in the November 2006 issue of the Gobrecht Journal. Included in the Top 100 survey article were tabular results of the survey outcome. You can find those results in the following table.
The Rarity Weight column is an attempt to define the relative rarity of each variety against the overall Top 100 listings. Rarity Weights range from 1 (most common) to 10 (excessively rare). These Rarity Weights will be use for additional analysis in the future.
Click on the underlined dates to see images and full page descriptions of each Top 100 variety
Variety Number |
Date |
Description |
G4-6 |
VG8-10 |
F12-15 |
VF20-30 |
EF40-45 |
AU50-55 |
AU58-MS62 |
MS63+ |
Totals |
Rarity Weight |
1 |
Large
Date, Clashed Obverse and Reverse |
1 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
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2 |
Small
Date, Reverse Horizontal Die Crack |
1 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
2 |
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3 |
Repunched
Huge O Mintmark |
1 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
16 |
3 |
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4 |
Small
Stars |
2 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
7 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
27 |
1 |
|
5 |
Vertically
Cracked Reverse Die |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
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6 |
Cracked
Obverse Die #1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
16 |
2 |
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7 |
Partial
Drapery Obverse |
2 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
25 |
2 |
|
8 |
Cracked
Obverse Die #2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
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9 |
Cracked
Obverse Die #3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
11 |
4 |
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10 |
Pie Shaped Shattered Obverse |
1 |
1 |
10 |
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11 |
Small
O Obverse/ Large O |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
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12 |
Repunched
Large O mintmark |
2 |
5 |
2 |
6 |
1 |
16 |
3 |
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13 |
Cobweb
Shattered Reverse Die |
4 |
3 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
25 |
2 |
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14 |
Polished
Obverse/Huge O Reverse |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
4 |
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15 |
Chin
Whiskers Variety |
2 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
12 |
3 |
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16 |
Medium
O Mintmark With Die Crack |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
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17 |
Repunched
184 Digits |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
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18 |
Repunched
841 Digits |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
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19 |
Transitional
Large O Closed Bud Reverse |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
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20 |
Transitional
Small O Closed Bud Reverse |
2 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
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21 |
Large
Obverse Rim Cud at 10:00 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
11 |
3 |
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22 |
Shattered
Reverse Die, Med O Mintmark |
1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
4 |
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23 |
Shattered
Reverse Die of 1841 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
4 |
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24 |
Small
O Mintmark, Rim Cud at 10:00 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
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25 |
Repunched
1843 Digits |
2 |
5 |
7 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
26 |
1 |
|||
26 |
Repunched
45 Digits |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
3 |
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27 |
Repunched
1845 Digits |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
1 | 1 | 13 |
3 |
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28 |
Huge
O Mintmark |
2 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
6 |
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29 |
Date
Punch Overlaps Base |
1 |
3 |
6 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
22 |
2 |
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30 |
Repunched
8 and 9 Digits |
2 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
10 |
4 |
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31 |
Repunched
184 Digits, Small O |
2 |
6 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
15 |
3 |
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32 |
Repunched 851 Digits |
2 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
12 |
2 |
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33 |
Repunched
52 Digits |
1 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
3 |
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34 |
Heavily
Clashed No Arrows Obverse |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
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35 |
Repunched
853 Digits, Unhubbed Obverse |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
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36 |
Shattered
Obverse |
2 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
6 |
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37 |
Shattered
Obverse Die #1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
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38 |
Shattered
Obverse Die |
1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
6 |
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39 |
Cracked
Obverse Die/Oblique Mintmark |
1 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
10 |
3 |
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40 |
Doubled
Die Obverse #2 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
2 |
13 |
3 |
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41 |
Doubled
Die Obverse East |
1 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
11 |
2 |
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42 |
Doubled
Die Obverse North |
2 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
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43 |
Repunched
56 Digits Up |
1 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
3 |
16 |
1 |
||||
44 |
Repunched
56 Digits Down |
3 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
14 |
3 |
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45 |
Strike
Doubled Date and Stars |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
8 |
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46 |
Misplaced
9 Digit In Gown |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
13 |
3 |
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47 |
Doubled
Lips, Doubled Die Obverse |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
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48 |
Rusted
Type I Obverse Die |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
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49 |
Heavily
Rusted Reverse/Type II Obverse Die |
2 |
2 |
8 |
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50 |
Gouged
Reverse Die |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
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51 |
Repunched
18 Digits |
1 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
10 |
4 |
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52 |
Misplaced
1 Digits In Base, Proofs |
2 |
2 |
6 |
||||||||
53 |
Short
Flag 1 Date - Obverse 1 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
10 |
6 |
|||||
54 |
Repunched
870 Digits |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
12 |
2 |
|||
55 |
Repunched
18 Digits, Proofs Only |
1 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
|||||||
56 |
Flipped
Doubled Die Reverse |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
12 |
4 |
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57 |
Repunched
Date |
1 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
1 |
3 |
14 |
2 |
|||
58 |
Misplaced
2 Digit, Proofs |
2 |
2 |
7 |
||||||||
59 |
Repunched
Date |
3 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
15 |
2 |
||||
60 |
Doubled
Shield, Doubled Die Obverse |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
6 |
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61 |
Repunched
74 Digits |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
|||||
62 |
1874
Polished Arrows |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
10 |
||||||
63 |
Misplaced
1 In Denticles |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
4 |
|||
64 |
Shattered
Reverse Die |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
|||||
65 |
Unfilled
Micro S Mintmark |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
|||||
66 |
IW
- Circular Cracked Obverse |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
|||||
67 |
BW
- Circular Cracked Obverse |
1 |
1 |
4 |
||||||||
68 |
Doubled
Die Reverse |
2 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
|||||||
69 |
Boldly
Repunched Date |
1 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
|||||||
70 |
Doubled
Die Obverse/Greer Reverse C |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
4 |
|||
71 |
Doubled
Die Obverse/Greer Reverse A |
4 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
18 |
2 |
|||
72 |
Doubled
Die Obverse/Greer Reverse B |
2 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
17 |
1 |
|
73 |
Repunched
18 Digits |
1 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
4 |
||||
74 |
Misplaced
76 Digits |
2 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
3 |
|||||
75 |
Type
II Reverse |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
12 |
5 |
||
76 |
Misplaced
1 Digit in Base/Type II Reverse |
2 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
7 |
||||||
77 |
Repunched
18 Digits |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
|||||
78 |
Die
Scratch in Shield, Repunched Date |
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
||||||
79 |
Severely
Polished Type II Reverse |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
10 |
3 |
||||
80 |
Repunched
18 Digits |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
3 |
||
81 |
Repunched 86 Digits |
1 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
13 |
2 |
|||
82 |
Medium
S Over S In Top Loop |
1 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
12 |
3 |
|||
83 |
Shattered
Reverse Die |
1 |
1 |
8 |
||||||||
84 |
Excessively
Polished Reverse Proof Die |
2 |
2 |
6 |
||||||||
85 |
Triple
Misplaced Digits in Gown |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
||||||
86 |
Misplaced
8 Digit in Base / Med S over S |
2 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
|||||||
87 |
Repunched
Date and Misplaced Digit |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
|||||
88 |
Doubled
Die Reverse #1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|||||||
89 |
Doubled
Die Reverse #3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
||||||
90 |
Misplaced
Digit |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
3 |
||||
91 |
Four
Misplaced Digits in Gown |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
9 |
5 |
|||
92 |
Doubled
Die Obverse / Medium S over S |
3 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
|||||||
93 |
Misplaced
Digit |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
9 |
3 |
||||
94 |
Misplaced
Digit in Denticles |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
4 |
|||||
95 |
Doubled
Die Obverse |
1 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
|||||||
96 |
Repunched
89 Digits, Clashed Dies |
1 |
3 |
2 |
6 |
4 |
||||||
97 |
Shattered
Reverse |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
|||||
98 |
Medium
O over Horizontal O Mintmark |
2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
9 |
5 |
||||
99 |
Repunched
89 Digits / Med O over Small S |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
||||||
100 |
Medium
S over Small S |
4 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
16 |
2 |