1848-O Liberty Seated Half Dime. Large O. MS-66 (PCGS). CAC.Intensely lustrous surfaces reveal flashes of semi-prooflike reflectivity in the fields as the coin rotates under a light. Otherwise softly frosted in finish, both sides are further enhanced by delightful toning in iridescent reddish-apricot. Sharply struck overall, although the reverse periphery is a tad soft in places due to die rust that also involves portions of the wreath, the O mintmark and the letters in the denomination HALF DIME. The 1848-O is the earliest dated New Orleans Mint issue of this denomination with a relatively generous Mint State population, suggesting that there may have once been a small hoard of high grade coins. If so, the hoard has long since been dispersed and we emphasize that, if it existed at all, it must have been a small hoard since this issue is still scarce to rare in all Mint State grades when viewed in the wider context of U.S. numismatics. This is a particularly attractive Gem survivor whose surfaces and pleasing appearance confirm it as one the finest available to todays discerning collectors.<p>The 1848-O is perhaps one of the most underexplored issues addressed by Valentines original 1931 manuscript, which included only two varieties of this date despite a mintage of fairly 600,000 coins. These two marriages were expanded to six in Breens 1958 supplement to the Valentine reprint and swelled by two more pairings courtesy of William Harmons research published in the March 1993 <em>Gobrecht Journal</em> (Issue# 56). Diagnostics of the present example include the shield point over the right side of the 1 in the date with all four digits high and solidly joined to the base of the rock. There are light to bold defects around all of the stars. The reverse is boldly clashed, especially to the right of the mintmark and at the letters ATES in STATES, and there are several light peripheral die cracks. The mintmark is a tad low and placed slightly right of center of the ribbon knot; it is thinner at the base than at the top.PCGS# 4340. NGC ID: 233C.PCGS Population: 10; 11 finer (MS-68 finest).From the Henry Collection of Liberty Seated Half Dimes.
