This is a Seated Half listed on Ebay as an 1872. I looked at the reverse and noticed this under the eagle. If this is a mintmark, it doesn’t seem to be a known variety. My best guess is 1872-S, and of ten reverse dies originally shipped to the San Fran Mint in 1872, only three are known. Could this be a newly discovered reverse die?
What I was saying is that there are only three reverse dies known, but ten were shipped to the Mint. Call me crazy, but this could be a new reverse die. It’s a bit hard to see but it’s right below the intersection between the olive branch and arrow tips.
Funny how such "potential discoveries" always seem to appear only on the most worn or trashed coins, isn't it? I bet there's a lesson in there somewhere....
Here's a link to Bill Bugert's book on this (these coins). ***CAUTION: Link is to a PDF file*** http://www.lsccweb.org/BillBugertBooks/Bugert-Vol-I-SF.pdf
Only in the interest of playing "devils advocate", I'll post this. As circumstance would have it I happened to see a lonely seated half today and brought it home. The image is below. While this is obviously a New Orleans mint mark, it is tucked very tightly under the olive branch like the OP thinks he is seeing... Do I see anything there? Well, I want to..... But then again, I am sure I saw Jesus in the clouds once too....
Agreed. It's perfectly natural to see what we want or to want to see something so bad we begin to believe it. The key is to accept this happens and to remove emotion when we approach such things as it allows us to be objective.
I am having a hard time seeing it also, I got a good lesson in Podolia though! Even if it is? I think there would have to be a better grade speciman first.
