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 Replies: 14 / Views: 1,701 |
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Valued Member
United States
384 Posts |
Hey! On another thread I saw mention of the the low survival of Seated half dimes, some with survival of 200-300 estimated. I had no idea that was true! It's crazy how few survive and how cheap they are in different conditions! |
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
There are a fair number available in many dates. Most collectors only buy one of each type for type sets. Very few collectors attempt to put a date set or full set together.
You find out in collecting these that those easy dates show up again and again in almost all grades, but that once you've finished those, it's really long periods of time in between to add an uncommon or scarce piece.
Thus, many collectors get bored with trying to achieve a set simply because once they reach that tough part where it's so hard to find new coins, they simply move on to something easier.
There are some die hard collectors of the series and perhaps they can give you a bit more information as to the dates to pick up easily.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4589 Posts |
Small coin, heavily used - think what it represented in value at the time of issue.
Beyond just being lost...
Because of the higher silver content of the 1853 and earlier coins, many were melted at the time the weight was reduced in 1853. Of the ones that survived that period, there were other changes in silver weight that caused other waves of melting. Finally, many of them were eventually turned back in to the mint obsolete and extremely worn and were melted by the mint.
All combine to create a limited population of surviving coins.
-----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Very small coins - the attrition rate must have been very high.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3210 Posts |
On top of being heavily circulated some were used as jewelry pieces among other things, like the small $1 gold coins, which are holed, in bezels, heavily cleaned, etc. these coins simply circulated like Barber coinage, where it is tough to find Barber halves in higher conditions... |
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Valued Member
United States
321 Posts |
In 1853, all Half Dimes in circulation became worth more than their face value, so they were basically shoveled into the melting pot. New Orleans coins were particularly hit, and as such survival rates are low today for 1838-1853 NA O mint coins, and the few that survive are mostly bent and damaged for reasons mentioned above. Then, during the Civil War, the San Francisco mint started making Half Dimes. Because the war was so far away from California, they mostly just circulated and were abused, and as such 1863-1871 S Half Dimes are hard to find today, and the few that survive are mostly bent and damaged. They were perfect for jewelry, which made the impact worse. So today, very few Half Dimes survive of the scarcer dates. However, because of a lack of collector demand, they sell for small percents of prices brought by key dates from other series, even though those are much more common. With 100K you could buy 20 UNC S-VDBs, but you would have a hard time buying 3 UNC 1849-O Half Dimes. The 49-Os can be bought for well under 100K, it's just that locating even one example could take a year or more. Edited by Omegaraptor
10/16/2016 7:34 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
I like coins which are scarce, regardless of condition. Pricing of highly desirable coins like the 1909-SVDB is insane IMO. Not just compared to the scarce Half Dimes, but to low grade gold. When a half eagle with a population less than 200 is selling for $100 over melt, and $300 less than a 1909-SVDB in the same condition, the seller with the gold has my interest over the seller with the copper cent. "Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
10/16/2016 10:19 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
Thanks for starting this thread...
I am always interested in learning about more coins to watch for.
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Valued Member
 United States
384 Posts |
Thq. Which half eagle would that be?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4337 Posts |
might as well share my one type example since we're on the subject  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
@jolteon the example I cited was an 1872-S NGC slabbed in VG8. There's a picture in Moe's cc/s thread. Low survival quarter eagles show up more frequently, but it's the half eagles and eagles that generally sell close to melt. Years ago I turned up an 1874-S in VF/XF the same way, at only a slight premium over melt. There aren't that many of the scarce coins, but the people that stack gold generally aren't coin collectors. So they tend to show up when the price of gold rises and the stackers are liquidating their random piles. They could care less whether they're selling an 1872-S or a 1901-S.
dsfreeworld, nice example!
"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
10/17/2016 10:25 am
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Valued Member
United States
384 Posts |
I picked up three Half Dimes with a estimated survival of 200-300 in PCGS holders G6-VG10 for $80. I hold these for a looooong time and hopefully people will grow more interested :-) If not, I have something very few people have |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4337 Posts |
Quote:I picked up three Half Dimes with a estimated survival of 200-300 in PCGS holders G6-VG10 for $80.  |
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Valued Member
United States
89 Posts |
One of my favorite coins to collect. I have over 50 slabbed Seated half dimes in grades from VF35 to MS62 |
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Replies: 14 / Views: 1,701 |
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Posted 10/16/2016 3:34 pm
