The discussion about die states and my current project, which an exhibit of the early half dimes, got me thinking about the 1801 half dime. The 1801 half dime is a very scarce coin. There are two die varieties which are very similar. The second one was not confirmed until 1987. Daniel W. Valentine, who wrote the first extensive die variety book on the series, was confused about this coin. Here’s part of the reason why. Believe it or not, here are photos of the same variety. This first coin is an intermediate die state. Note the significant arc shaped break that runs from the “Y” in “LIBERTY” and down to the 13th star. This piece is a later die state of the same variety. So where did the first big crack go? it was certainly quite large and could not have disappeared. The answer is that a ghost of it is still there. It takes a 10X glass to see it. There is a huge crack that is most visible through the "T" in "LIBERTY" on this piece that runs down the length of the coin. The right side of the die fell away and the first crack became almost invisible. Some collectors have thought that these two coins are different varieties. They aren't. There is a second 1801 half dime die variety. The best way to spot it is that first three stars on the left side are more widely spaced than they are in these coins. If you find one, you have located a rarity, but unless it's very high grade, you might not make a fortune. There are not a lot of serious half dime die collectors who would pay a lot for it.
Oh yes. The die was really getten beat up by this time, but it still produced an attractive coin. I bought this piece years ago from JJ Teaparty when the late Bruce Longyear was working there. Few people remember Bruce, who died young more than two decades ago, but he really got some coins while he was working there. I showed this piece to Jules Reiver who recalled seeing it years ago. This was in the late 1980s. He was surprised when I pointed out the "ghost" of the arc die break.
JJ Teaparty I've dealt with them. They can come up with some coins that I have a tough time finding elsewhere.
That's cool. Is the obverse die the anvil die here? I could see the clash event "lining up" the two die fragments, making the retained cud sort of disappear.
