I picked this coin up today. It comes with an original Heritage galleries tag when it was sold raw in the 80's. It list it as being "Struck From Proof Dies" Anyone familiar with these?
Did you know all of this already? http://images.goldbergauctions.com/php/lot_auc.php?site=1&sale=36&lot=2922 One of the most important features is also the bold obverse O Mintmark above the date. The obverse mintmark was used for just a couple of years before the mint transferred it to the reverse where it remained until the early 20th century. As we now know, the various branch mintmarks stayed on the reverse until 1909 when the obverse mintmarks appeared on cents and double eagles (1908), and 1916 when they appeared on the obverse again on quarters and half dollars. The reeded edge pieces were first struck in 1836 with FIFTY CENTS spelled out for the denomination. In 1838, the design was modified somewhat and the denomination changed to HALF DOL. Only 20 of the 1838-O pieces were struck (all of them Proofs), but possibly far fewer Proofs were made of the 1839-O... . . . The 1839`O' Proof Half Dollars were probably struck during late March and June, 1839. The obverse die used for their production was a new one shipped that year from Philadelphia, but the reverse was one of the two dies shipped in 1838. It is very possible, therefore, that the 1838`O' Proofs and the 1839`O' Proofs were struck during the same short time frame, since the 1838`O' obverses were defaced on June 21, 1839. The 1839`O' Proofs seem to have been struck before the business strikes from the same dies.
This is a GR-4 die marriage. It appears to be an earlier die state since there does not appear to be strong die cracking near stars one through four. The GR-4 die marriage is found with some frequency with a 180 degree die rotation. No examples of the GR-4 die marriage have been certified or attributed as proofs, but Breen wrote that some proof coins were made with 180 degree die rotation, which may explain the note on the tag.
okay, here ya go: it looks like: GR-4. listed as with comment by Breen that alludes to a proof (made with 180 degree rotation) none certified or know to date as proofs as of this time. BUT: It states as a recut MM, to the south east. I don't see that in your photos. however, could be LDS, since it shows the die lump in front of curl on Bust. Listed as very scarce variety. [but they all are. ]
Learned something new this morning. Thanks for posting, interesting coin and interesting supporting information.
Thanks guys! That was what I was gathering from my internet research but just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.
