USA ½ dollar Seated Liberty Half Dollar 1878
USA, Carson City
Rarity
Rare
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | ½ dollar |
| Krause number | KM# A99 |
| Mintage | 62,000 |
| Metal | Silver 0.900 |
| thickness | 2 mm |
| diameter | 30.6 mm |
| weight | 12.5 g |
Obverse:
Liberty
Star
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
LIBERTY
Reverse:
Coat of arms
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
HALF DOL.
IN GOD WE TRUST
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
As at the other two mints, half dollar production plunged at Carson City in 1878, creating a very scarce issue across all grades. Mint State examples are extremely rare, with at most a dozen known. When found, such coins are well struck from unworn dies. Just a single die pair is known for 1878-CC, and all examples have 143 reeds. This reeding gauge was not used at the other mints, so the combination of only one die marriage and one collar preclude the successful faking of this issue by adding a CC mintmark to a Philadelphia coin. Since nearly all of the Carson City half dollars coined in recent years had been for shipment east to facilitate redemption of fractional currency notes rather than for local circulation, the near total retirement of the notes by 1879 left no additional demand for CC fractional silver coins. The Nevada mint thereafter limited its output to silver dollars required under the Bland-Allison and Sherman Acts and to gold coinage.Read More
