USA ½ dollar Seated Liberty Half Dollar 1889
USA, Philadelphia
Rarity
Extremely Rare
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | ½ dollar |
| Krause number | KM# A99 |
| Mintage | 12,000 |
| 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
The 4 to 5 thousands coins made annually "for circulation" during most of the 1880s were apparently not enough to discourage speculators, so the Philadelphia Mint more than doubled this production for the years 1888-90. Mint State survivors of the 1889 half dollar survive in disproportionate numbers to the overall total for this date. While gems exist in sufficient numbers to satisfy advanced collectors, it's interesting to note that the PL and DPL coins known for preceding issues are not found with the 1889 entry. A total of two die marriages are known for 1889 half dollars, but the Wiley-Bugert book doesn't specify their application to proof versus currency strikes. It's likely that each marriage and collar was unique to a single production. The 1889 half dollar is found with either 152 or 153 reeds.Read More
