1792 Half Disme. LM-1, Judd-7, Pollock-7, the only known dies. Rarity-4. Fine-15 (PCGS). CAC. Smith-Orosz-Augsburger Unlisted. <strong>Obv:</strong> A bust of Liberty with short, curly hair faces left, the date 1792 in small digits immediately below the curved truncation of the bust. The legend LIB. PAR. OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY is around the border, an abbreviation of "Liberty, parent of science and industry." <strong>Rev:</strong> A small eagle with spread wings faces to the left with the denomination HALF DISME and a single star below. The legend UNI. STATES OF AMERICA encircles most of the reverse periphery. All 1792 half dimes except for the unique copper impression (Judd-8) are struck in silver with a diagonally reeded edge, and a single set of dies was used to complete the entire mintage of approximately 1,500 pieces. The coins were struck with medallic alignment.<p>A coin with tremendous collector appeal. Not only is this a problem free and fully original circulated survivor of the historic 1792 half disme, but it is one of only two CAC-approved examples in all grades, and the only example in circulated grades (the other CAC Stickered 1792 half disme is the Floyd T. Starr coin in PCGS Specimen-67). A newcomer to the modern numismatic market, this coin is not included in the Smith-Orosz-Augsburger census published in the 2017 reference <em>1792: Birth of a Nations Coinage</em>. Wonderfully original in preservation, as above, both sides are toned with a gentle mottling of light olive and rose-russet over a base of pewter-gray. The obverse is the better centered of the two sides, although it is still a bit off center to 5 oclock with scant denticulation from 2 to 7 oclock, softness to the tops of the letters within this range. Otherwise we note wear commensurate with the assigned grade on this side of the coin, all major design elements partially if not fully outlined and readily appreciable. There are no marks of note apart from a couple of extremely faint, toned over pin scratches in the lower left and right field areas that are easily overlooked during in hand viewing.<p>The reverse impression is more significantly off center, in this case to 10 oclock. The peripheral detail from 9:30 to 2 oclock is faint to absent, a combination of die state (see below) and uneven wear caused by the off center strike. Much of the eagle is outlined, but its left wing can be difficult to discern. The denomination HALF DISME is fully legible, star below bold, letters STATES OF AMER in the legend faint to illegible. A few fine, old pin scratches over and behind the eagle are noted, although we stress that this piece is still far better preserved with regards to marks and potential impairments than the typically encountered circulated 1792 half disme.<p>The amount of wear on this coin precludes a definitive die state attribution, as the weakness at the upper right reverse prevents identification of the beginning of a possible die crack from the left upright of the first letter M in AMERICA. If present at all, however, this crack does not extend to the letter E in DISME, so at latest this is a Die State 2-A coin. It is at earliest a Die State 1-B example with the reverse die noticeably failing and sinking through the right field area, explaining the extreme softness to the eagles left wing noted above. Coins from both of these die states are included in the 1,500 pieces received by Thomas Jefferson on July 13, 1792. These constitute the first striking period for the issue, as defined by Smith-Orosz-Augsburger.<p>As an originally preserved, visually appealing and thoroughly PQ Fine-graded example with exceedingly rare (for the issue) CAC approval, we anticipate keen bidder interest in this coin, which will surely result in a strong premium being paid. Most circulated 1792 half dismes were not only used, but also abused, and heavy scratches, holes/plugs, edge damage and other significant impairments are commonplace. Once the present example sells it may be decades before a circulated example of comparable quality and desirability becomes available, in indeed another even exists at or near the Fine grade level. PCGS# 11020. NGC ID: 22ZS. CAC Stickered Population: 2 in all grades, the present Fine-15 and the Floyd T. Starr coin in PCGS Specimen-67.
