USA ½ dollar Seated Liberty Half Dollar 1862
USA, Philadelphia
Rarity
Scarce
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | ½ dollar |
| Krause number | KM# A68 |
| Mintage | 253,000 |
| Metal | Silver 0.900 |
| diameter | 30.6 mm |
| weight | 12.44 g |
Obverse:
Liberty
Star
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
LIBERTY
Reverse:
Coat of arms
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
HALF DOL.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
The issuance in 1862 of "United States Notes" that were not immediately redeemable for gold or silver prompted the hoarding of silver coins by late spring. These joined the gold coins in hiding, as those had already disappeared from circulation by the end of 1861. Both gold and silver continued to circulate freely in the West, where paper money was either illegal or simply shunned by common consent. In the eastern half of the nation, however, as well as in the rebel states of the Confederacy, daily commerce was defined by paper money for years afterward. This situation resulted in a fairly low mintage for half dollars at the Philadelphia Mint. Those that did circulate often did so in Canada or Latin America, where their bullion value was less of an issue than the perennial shortage of coins. Worn examples are scarce in any grade, but there is a disproportionate number of Mint State pieces relative to the overall population. This may be attributed to the failure of these coins to circulate domestically. A small number of truly superb survivors have resulted from such hoarding. Five die marriages are known from a like number of obverse and reverse dies. Aside from these, there are no collectible varieties. Remarkably, given the small mintage, three different reed counts are known: 151, 152 or 153. Collectors, however, don't seem to have taken a fancy to the coins' third side.Read More
