I just purchased Al Overton's book on capped bust halves. The book, while informative, is also not very user-friendly. Inadequate, small pictures and a coding system that seems a bit wonkish, to put it mildly. I'm still trying to understand how to apply the codes. For example, I have an 1810 CBH that's an O-101a. According to Overton, this is found on page 81 of his book, the first entry under 1810. Let's break down O-101a. The first O is the author's name, followed by 1 (the obverse) followed by O (stands for obverse I guess) , followed by 1a (reverse A, under #1). Is this correct? I wonder why we wouldn't just call this coin O-1. It's listed as the first of 27 varieties of the 1810. Why the extra complexity? Now let's turn to the 6th variety of the 1810. In the heading we see 2-v2 for the obverse followed by B-v2 for the reverse. Would that be expressed O-2O2b? I know, it's too nice a day to be writing about this stuff. So I'll stop now.
There is a learning curve to using the Overton book. Be patient. Read the material. Reread the material. Look at several examples and try to decode them yourself. Over time it should start to make sense.
It's really not hard at all. A couple of tips: 1) Forget about the variety name/number. It is what it is. 2) Don't waste time trying to align denticles with pointers. Look at the big stuff. Banner start and stop relative to UNITED STATES, location of letters in the banner relative to this (T/I, e.g.), where star 7 points relative to the bust cap, the proximity of arrow heads. 3) When you get stuck, read the text and look for tips on die marks, the shape of numbers, missing serifs. You will find it isn't that hard at all to weed out most of the possibilities. A little scrutiny will nail it. Lance.
Scott, the danged thing makes you cross eyed at first, but after you've worked with it for awhile, you'll begin to feel more comfortable. Think of it as using a new computer program. At first you're just going in there blindly, trying to wade through everything. After awhile, you become very familiar with the culture of the program, and everything begins to mesh. Much the same with the book........
But if I need to sell the coin I need to identify the variety correctly. That's why I'm looking for guidance on how to decrypt the Overton code. I'm actually fine with his descriptions of the coins, which are easy to follow.
Are you asking how to attribute Overton varieties? The Overton book is fairly clear on how to do this. Like Green (and others) said, it takes practice.
Say what? The Overton numbers are the answers, not the puzzles. Match up the coin and get the answer. Lance.
What edition are you using? I've never seen that one before and I'm wondering if you are using the original 1967 edition. If so it's no wonder you are finding it difficult. the revised 1970 edition was much better and the third and fourth editions are even better.
Sign up at coinzip.com. Then you can compare your coin to many large images, sorted by year and die marriage. Lance.
Let me try it this way. Let's say I have this coin. It matches this description. What is the 3 digit code (O-xxx) based on this information?
O.106a. You need to get a newer edition. I see the problem. Lance. Edited to add: This is what the 4th edition looks like.
Okay, I get it now. The later editions are completely different. Guess my edition will make a nice doorstop. Thanks.
Or sell it on eBay for a few bucks: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-Half-...668?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231b5dae54
Heavens no, don't do that. You've got a marvelous piece of history with that volume and it's one that should be remanded to the collecting annals. Oh dear, no, that volume is a keeper.......
I think what the OP is looking for is an explanation as to how the Overton numbers come to be? All of the Overton numbers simply start at O-101 and proceed until the die varities are all listed. Al found a variety, named is O-101, then another and named it O-102 now if the 102 was later found with a later die state crack etc.. he would simply give it a O-102a. Does this make sense? There is no O-101 as in Overton, Die1, Obverse, Reverse like your searching for as far as know.
The problem is the numbers changed between the 1967 and the 1970 editions. For example look at his picture from post #11 An 1821 obv 5 rev F v2 and it is called variety 15. But in the 1970 and later edition the obv and rev designations are the same but now it is O-106a
The original edition used two digits. The 2nd and all future editions used 3 digits. The lowest # is each date is now O-101. There is a conversion chart that Al (Overton) issued with the second edition.
