1828 Classic Head Half Cent. C-2. Rarity-1. 12 Stars. MS-64 BN (PCGS). Type: Type V: Classic Head.Design: Obv: Liberty faces left, her hair bound by a fillet inscribed LIBERTY. Twelve stars are arranged around the border, seven left and five right, this being in error since the design was supposed to include 13 stars. The date 1828 is below. Rev: A single branch bound at the bottom by a single bowed ribbon surrounds the denomination HALF CENT. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is around the border.Weight Standard: 84 grains (5.44 grams).Diameter: 23.5 mm.Die Variety: Cohen-2, Breen-3, Gilbert-3. Obv: There are only 12 stars around the border, as opposed to 13, which is diagnostic for this obverse die, here in its only use. Rev: The highest leaf on the branch extends beyond the final letter S in STATES, another outer leaf extending just past the letter F in OF. The letter C in CENT is repunched, and the top of the letter H in HALF is closed. This is the only use of this reverse die.Cohen-2 is the only die marriage of the 12 Stars <em>Guide Book</em> variety of the 1828 half cent.Die State: Manley 3.0, the usual state. Obv: The die scratch from star 7 to the ribbon and die defect at the curl above the letter B in LIBERTY from earlier states are no longer evident. Rev: Clash marks within the wreath and die scratches around some of the letters in the legend from earlier states are no longer visible, except for a tiny die dot at the right side of the letter A in STATES.Edge: Plain.Mintage: The reported mintage for half cents during calendar year 1828 is 606,000 coins, although the actual number of coins struck from 1828-dated dies is unknown. Some 1826-dated half cents were delivered in 1828, while additional 1828-dated examples were probably struck during calendar year 1829.Estimated Surviving Population for the Issue: More than 6,000 coins in all grades.Estimated Surviving Population for the Die Variety: Rarity-1: More than 2,000 coins in all grades.Strike: Sharply defined overall from a nicely centered, well executed strike, with softness confined to stars 1 to 5 on the obverse, typical of the die pairing.Surfaces: Frosty rose-brown surfaces swirl with abundant cartwheel luster, traces of bright mint color persisting around the stars, as well as on the left side of the branch and into the word STATES on the reverse. The surfaces show no serious disturbances, though we note a minor area of light roughness inside the denticles below star 1. A very pretty example regards.Commentary: Since the dawn of American copper collecting, numismatists have been amused by this varietys miscounted obverse stars, making it among the most popular of all half cent varieties. The earliest description Breen could find of this variety was in W. Elliot Woodwards Rev. Joseph M. Finotti sale of November 1862, where lot 947 is described as "1828 Twelve Stars, bright, uncirculated." The following lot was called "Another, almost as fine as proof." They brought 75 cents each. A search of the Newman Numismatic Portal reveals no fewer than 15 earlier appearances, dating back to Bangs sale of June 1859 ("1828 12 stars. Rare."). Earlier still, Montroville W. Dickeson mentioned the variety in his <em>American Numismatical Manual</em>, published in 1859. He counted "two types and five varieties" among the 1828 half cents he had seen, noting "one of these types has, on the obverse, twelve instead of thirteen stars - seven on the left, and five on the right hand. This number of stars undoubtedly originated in error, as nothing less than thirteen had any intelligible reference to our county, as adopted upon our coinage."While not a major rarity in an absolute sense, the 1828 C-12 variety is typically offered in circulated grades in todays market. Mint State survivors are scarce in an absolute sense, and they are rare relative to the demand that this popular variety enjoys among specialists. This is a particularly attractive near-Gem that is sure to see spirited bidding. From the ESM Collection. Earlier from our (American Numismatic Rarities) Byron C. Pevehouse & Lester Gann Davis Collections sale, October 2004, lot 19; Heritages Denver, CO Signature & Platinum Night Auction of August 2006, lot 124.
