1867 Seated Liberty Half Dime PCGS MS-67 Sells For $20,400

Stack's Bowers - Lowest Circulation Strike Mintage in the Liberty Seated Series

Writing in his 1931 reference on Half Dimes, Daniel W. Valentine identified two die marriages for the 1867 Half Dime, which Al Blythe (1992) asserts were each used to strike both Proofs and circulation strikes. The present example is readily attributable as Valentine-1 by the high and right placement of the date, the pendant left of the center of the digit 6. An additional diagnostic of this obverse is a short die scratch from the end of the pendant. The reverse of the 1867 V-1 has both ribbon ends free of the wreath.



Although the pronounced reflectivity in the fields might lead some numismatists to conclude otherwise, this coin is an unmistakable circulation strike from these dies with a sharp obverse die crack from the rim, through the final letter S in STATES, to Liberty's right shoulder. Low mintage circulation strike issues are often represented by prooflike coins, the press runs too brief to fully efface the reflectivity in the fields caused by die polishing. Light clash marks are also evident on the obverse at Liberty's left shoulder, and the drapery around the left elbow has been largely polished away from the die.

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