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SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR
Struck from 1839 until 1891, the Seated Liberty Half Dollar was a collector’s favorite when it was in circulation, and remains a highly sought-after coin due to its rarity. Collecting Seated Liberty Half Dollars can be quite costly and are quite hard to find in exceptional condition.
HISTORY
When the Seated Liberty Half Dollars were initially released, they were only manufactured by the United States Mint at the Philadelphia facility. It wasn’t until 1846 that they began being minted at the New Orleans location. Interestingly, the Seated Liberty was the last silver half-dollar to be produced before the Coinage Act of 1873 was passed. This new law temporarily suspended the mintage of the silver dollar in America.
DESIGN
The obverse design is inspired by the Gobrecht dollar, which was briefly minted from 1836 to 1839, and portrays Lady Liberty in a seated position. Surrounding her are 13 stars and below her is the year of issue. The reverse was based on a design by John Reich, featuring an armorial eagle holding arrows and a laurel branch in its talons, and surrounded by inscriptions: “UNITED STATED OF AMERICA” and “HALF DOL”. The Seated Liberty Half Dollar was designed by the US Mint chief engraver at the time, Christian Gobrecht. This coin has several variations including the omission of the drapery on Lady Liberty’s arm, different sizes of dates, exclusion of the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” and others. Below are all images of all differentiations:
Type 1 - No Motto (1839-1853)
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
Type 2 - Arrow Book-end Date, Rays Surround Eagle (1853)
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
Type 3 - Arrow Book-end Date, Rays Surround Eagle Omitted (1854-1855)
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
Type 1 Reintroduced - Arrows Around Date Omitted & No Motto (1856-1866)
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
Type 4 - Motto Included Above Eagle (1866-1873)
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
Type 5 - Motto Included Above Eagle & Arrows Bookend Date (1873-1874)
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
Type 4 Reintroduced - Motto Included Above Eagle & Arrows Omitted from Date (1875-1891)
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
PRICING
Due to its scarcity and the number of variations, completing a collection of Seated Liberty Half Dollars can prove to be a difficult and costly task. While most collectors and investors hope for pristine coins, it is unlikely that you will find a Seated Liberty in good condition. The price of these coins can range from $20 to $1,000, with some exceeding even that value. You can expect Seated Liberty Half Dollars that are listed for over $1,000 to be in better condition and one of the coins that are less commonly available. Uncirculated Seated Liberty coins are a rare find, so if you locate one, be sure to take advantage.
CONCLUSION
Seated Liberty Dollars remain a highly-sought silver coin. When buying and selling any bullion, be sure you are transacting with a trusted precious metals dealer. To contact Bullion Exchanges you can reach our customer service team via our website or by emailing customerservice@bullionexchanges.com.
