USA ½ dime Liberty Seated Half Dime Legend Obverse 1872
USA, Philadelphia
Rarity
Extremely Rare
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | ½ dime |
| Krause number | KM# 91 |
| Mintage | 950 |
| Metal | Silver 0.900 |
| diameter | 15.5 mm |
| weight | 1.24 g |
Obverse:
Liberty
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
LIBERTY
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Reverse:
Wreath
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
HALF DIME
Introduction of Coins
It has been suggested by Walter Breen and others that some of the 950 proofs coined for 1872 remained at the Mint in 1873 and were subsequently melted, though dealers usually bought up any leftovers at face value at the end of each calendar year. Some may have been melted, but the number was likely very small. 1872 proof half dimes show some deterioration of the obverse master hub which is manifested most obviously in the softness of the legend. In addition, the top of letter D in UNITED broke prior to the creation of the 1871 master die and was never fixed. The Mint's engraving staff must have known that this denomination was already on the chopping block and did not invest the time and expense of creating a new hub.Read More
