Seated Liberty Half Dollars

The Seated Liberty design was first seen on the silver dollar in 1836, joined soon thereafter on all other silver coinage.  The half dollar was the last denomination to bear the design, starting in late 1839. The Seated Liberty look was sculpted by Mint Engraver Christian Gobrecht, featuring the figure of Lady Liberty seated upon a rock, holding a shield with her right hand, as a sign of national readiness.  In her left, she grasped a pole topped off by a liberty cap.  In an era when much of the world was subjected to tyranny, this was a sign that most Americans lived in freedom. Seated Liberty coinage remained in active production for many years, during which time the United States matured from a post-colonial mentality to a mighty nation spanning from coast to coast, even while enduring a horrific civil war in the 1860's.  The final Seated Liberty coins were minted in 1891.   Seated Liberty Half Dollar Specifications Diameter: Weight: Minted: Composition: Designer Edge: 30.6 mm 13.36 g 1839-1853 .100 Cu .900 Ag Christian Gobrecht Reeded 30.6 mm 12.44 g 1853-1873 .100 Cu .900 Ag Christian Gobrecht Reeded 30.6 mm 12.50 g 1873-1891 .100 Cu .900 Ag Christian Gobrecht Reeded Coin Photos courtesy of Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc., Beverly Hills, CA. There are a few legendary rarities in the Seated Liberty Half Dollar series.  Fewer than five of the 1853-O No Arrow or Rays variety are known to exist.  One example came onto the October 2006 marketplace in VF-35 and sold for $368,000.  A single example of the 1866 No Motto half dollar was minted, and  has a similar history to the No Motto quarter dollar.  The 1878-S is another virtually unobtainable Seated Liberty Half Dollar.  Uncirculated specimens can bring about $100,000.  Finally, there is the lone 1861-O "Proof" half dollar, a Civil War relic with a unique history.  We have the its story here. One Seated Liberty Half Dollar has long held the fascination of numismatists, but for different reasons.  Strangely, Mint records show that 5000 of the 1873-S No Arrows half dollars were coined, but no examples are known.  Their fate remains  a mystery to this very day. For the Seated Half Dollar collector searching for affordable key dates of exceptional potential, there are some options to consider: 1870-CC 1874-CC 1878-90 (P) We could have listed perhaps a few more worthy dates (all of the Carson City dates are tempting), but we settled on these because of their superior records  of value increases.  Not many half dollars were minted at Philadelphia from 1878 to 1890, because the law requiring vast numbers of Morgan Silver Dollars  diverted much of the Mint's resources away from smaller silver coin production.  All of them are rare and evoke passion from collectors. Key date Seated Liberty Half Dollars are offered for sale below, via links to eBay U.S. coin auctions.  The left hand side of each "Sales Box" is value trend data over a very long period of time for a coin of that date in Good-4 condition.  The percent annual increase is computed for comparative purposes.  The 1878-90  box brings up all half dollar auctions within this date range.  The date 1886 was chosen for the trend analysis as a representative sample of the group.  The coin pictured for sale in the right hand side, if any, is not necessarily the same condition coin as that represented in the value trend analysis on left hand side. 1870-CC Seat Liberty Half Condition: G-4     1874-CC Seat Liberty Half Condition: G-4   Value Trends 1950:  $10.00 1980:  $150 1995:  $450 2003:  $475 2007:  $1000 Value Trends 1950:  $7.00 1980:  $45.00 1995:  $250 2003:  $400 2007:  $400 % Annual Increase Since 1950  = 8.41% % Annual Increase Since 1950  = 7.46% 1878-90 Seat Liberty Half Condition: G-4   1886 Value Trends Sample 1950:  $2.75 1980:  $90.00 1995:  $275 2003:  $275 2007:  $450 % Annual Increase Since 1950  = 9.36%
	Half Cents 1793-1857
	Large Cents 1793-1857
	Flying Eagle Cents 1856-1858
	Indian Head Cents 1859-1909
	Lincoln Cents 1909-present
	Two and Three Cents 1851-1889
	Shield Nickels 1866-1883
	Liberty Nickels 1883-1913
	Buffalo Nickels 1913-1938
	Jefferson Nickels 1938-present
	Early Half Dimes 1792-1837
	Seated Liberty Half Dimes 1837-1873
	Early Dimes 1796-1837
	Seated Liberty Dimes 1837-1891
	Barber Dimes 1892-1916
	Mercury Dimes 1916-1945
	Roosevelt Dimes 1946-present
	Twenty Cents 1875-1878
	Early Quarters 1796-1838
	Seated Liberty Quarters 1838-1891
	Barber Quarters 1892-1916
	Standing Liberty Quarters 1916-1930
	Washington Quarters 1932-present
	Early Half Dollars 1794-1839
	Seated Liberty Half Dollars 1839-1891
	Barber Half Dollars 1892-1915
	Walking Liberty Half Dollars 1916-1947
	Franklin Half Dollars 1948-1963
	Kennedy Half Dollars 1964-Present
	Early Dollars 1794-1804
	Gobrecht Dollars 1836-1839
	Seated Liberty Dollars 1840-1873
	Trade Dollars 1873-1885
	Morgan Dollars 1878-1921
	Peace Dollars 1921-1935
	Eisenhower Dollars 1971-1978
	Anthony Dollars 1979-1981,1999
	Sacagawea Dollars 2000-present
	Presidential Dollars 2007-present
	Gold Dollars 1849-1889
	Early Quarter Eagles 1796-1834
	Classic Head Quarter Eagles 1834-1839
	Coronet Quarter Eagles 1840-1907
	Indian Head Quarter Eagles 1908-1929
	Three Dollar Gold 1854-1889
	Early Half Eagles 1795-1834
	Classic Head Half Eagles 1834-1838
	Coronet Half Eagles 1839-1908
	Indian Head Half Eagles 1908-1929
	Early Eagles 1795-1804
	Coronet Eagles 1838-1907
	Indian Head Eagles 1907-1933
	Coronet Double Eagles 1849-1907
	St-Gaudens Double Eagles 1907-1933
	A view of the Coining Room at the Philadelphia Mint in 1861.  A passageway in the middle of the room is separated from the machines on both sides by a neat iron fence.  Visitors can see every thing from this passageway.  There are eight presses, all turned by a steam engine at the further end of the room.  These machines produced millions of Seated Liberty coins.  This image appeared in a feature article on coin making in the Dec 1861 edition of Harpers Magazine.                                  Public domain image.

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