USA ½ dime Liberty Seated Half Dime 1840
USA, Philadelphia
Rarity
Common
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | ½ dime |
| Krause number | KM# 62 |
| Mintage | 1,344,085 |
| Metal | Silver 0.900 |
| thickness | 0.65 mm |
| diameter | 15.5 mm |
| weight | 1.34 g |
Obverse:
Liberty
Star
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
LIBERTY
Reverse:
Wreath
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
HALF DIME
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
For reasons not absolutely clear now, the Mint commissioned artist Robert Ball Hughes to revise the Seated Liberty figure. This modified interpretation was utilized for the new silver dollars of 1840 and was adapted for all of the fractional silver coins except for the half dollar. A side-by-side comparison reveals numerous differences, but the most obvious is the addition of drapery above Liberty's left thigh to balance the design. Also readily evident is that the buds on the wreath are split or open, while those on the earlier issue are closed. Perhaps the greatest justification for revising this coin type was the inclusion of stars in the master matrix so that these no longer had to be punched into each working die. This subtype of the 1840 half dime is less often seen across all grades than the No Drapery edition. Mint State pieces in particular are in short supply.Read More
