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  1. #1
    Forever the Student budgood's Avatar
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    Exhibit: 1840 (O) 50C Reverse of 1838 ,A date without a home.

    A hard to come by issue, the 1840 Medium Letters Seated Liberty Half was struck at the New Orleans Mint without a mintmark , using an old open claws reverse die intended & possibly used for 1839 O Capped Bust Reeded Edge Half Dollar.

    The John Reich obverse & reverse designed dies & of the Capped Bust Half had been sent to New Orleans in 1839 . The only mint marked Capped Bust halves had the “O” mintmark on the obverses of the coins.

    One of the reverse dies in New Orleans was saved for use in 1840.Back then the goverment was a bit more cost concious with the tax payers money & did not like to waste perfetly good dies.The old-style reverse die was paired with the newly designed but 2nd year Seated Liberty obverses.
    What came of this new pairing was a new obverse that carried the mint marks on the reverse; but an older reverse die that put the mint marks on the obverse. Thus flip flopping where the mint marks should have been.

    The result is refered to as the type III, 1840 (O) with no mintmark.

    The noticeable difference is not that it doesn’t have a mintmark since the coins minted in Philadelphia that didnt have a mint mark . But by the size of the Eagle & letters on the reverse.Another way to identify this type is by the reverse having multiple die breaks that are always seen on this type & the open claws of the eagle.

    This unique year has halves with the reverse of coinage like that of 1838 & is usually referred to as the reverse of 1838 even though the coins came from 1839 dated dies.

    One of my favorite varieties & always a joy to come across.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails dsc05626.jpg  

    dsc05629.jpg  

    dsc056353.jpg  

    Last edited by budgood; 01-07-2009 at 11:22 PM. Reason: Spelling

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  2. #2
    Coin Collector randygeki's Avatar
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    great post and coin

  3. #3
    Numismatist In Training Hobo's Avatar
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    Very interesting!! I learned something today. Thanks. (And I voted for this thread.)

    No state shall emit bills of credit, make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts, coin money . . . - US Constitution, Article 1, Section 10

    ANA LM-3799; OHNS LM-59; SUSCC R-4005. CONECA. Coins stored in bank safe deposit box.

  4. #4
    Member jaceravone's Avatar
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    Budgood throwing down! Great info! Thanks.

    If you have a question, please ask. Remember, there are no stupid questions....just stupid people who ask questions."

  5. #5
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    Nice Coin. Thanks for the post!



  6. #6
    The Lincoln-ator Arizona Jack's Avatar
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    Ahhhh, Budgood pulls yet another trick from his sleeve.
    Nice one Jason !!

    W.I.N.S / ANA / SLCC / Mesa Coin Club
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  7. #7
    ANA# R3129541 green18's Avatar
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    Great info.....

    They also serve who only stand and wait....John Milton

    To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.....Winston Churchill

  8. #8
    Sometimes Coins Arouse Me DJP7x0s's Avatar
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    Thats cool. One Ive never heard of before.

  9. #9
    Numismatist GDJMSP's Avatar
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    Excellent post

    The variety is listed in the Red Book for those who haven't heard of it. Truly a scarce issue too.

    knowledge ..... share it

  10. #10
    Numismatist
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    using an old open claws reverse die intended & possibly used for 1839 O Capped Bust Reeded Edge Half Dollar.
    That reverse die DOES come paired with an 1839 O obverse.

    Slab collector and researcher
    reported as of 12/29/06
    132 companies 332 production varieties

  11. #11
    CEO of Brooklyn mrbrklyn's Avatar
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    Boy - I must have really been sleep walking when I missed this. Great Thread. The data on the dies is very facinating. Thanks for adding this!
    BTW - Grear Shot. Camera and Software?

    Ruben

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  12. #12
    CEO of Brooklyn mrbrklyn's Avatar
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    why is this not showing up as new posts?

    "The tremendous problem we face is that we are becoming sharecroppers to our own cultural heritage -- we need the ability to participate in our own society."
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  13. #13
    Custom User Title rld14's Avatar
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    Awesome coin and great post!

  14. #14
    ALIIS DIVES acanthite's Avatar
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    Excellent post and history!

    Un giorno diverrai cenere ed ombra, un nome e non piu

  15. #15
    CEO of Brooklyn mrbrklyn's Avatar
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    I have a couple of questions on this coin. First, what exactly is a "open claws reverse die". Why is it called "Open Claws". My second question seems obvious to me, but must have a similarly obvious answer. How does anyone know when looking at a 1840 without a mint mark that the coin wasn't from Philidelphia?

    Ruben

    "The tremendous problem we face is that we are becoming sharecroppers to our own cultural heritage -- we need the ability to participate in our own society."
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