I have started but never finished a couple of sets of HCs, and never got any of the really expensive ones. I sold the first bunch to a dealer friend of mine several years ago to concentrate on LCs. Big mistake on my part. The prices of decent LCs have gone through the roof. I think most of the EAC guys focus on building high-quality sets of LCs, and they are holding on to the best examples. I currently have maybe a dozen (more or less) HCs and am still debating on continuing work on a set of them. I have abandoned the collection (small as it is) of LCs and will undoubtedly sell them off, probably to the same dealer I sold all of my LCs and HCs years ago. I really do like half cents, but knowing I will never justify spending (to me) big money on the really early or rare ones, I kinda doubt I will even try. Perhaps building a set of the 1804 varieties will suffice. I do love those! The photos of the HCs that have been posted here are wonderful. Thanks for showing them to us!
The reason is probably two fold. First the mintage was low 35,180, plus the fact that most of them were still in the Mint when the Coinage Act of February 21, 1857 was signed into law which ended the half cents. Once the law was signed no more half cents could be paid out by the mint and all the ones on hand were melted down. And most likely some of the 1857's that had gotten out probably came back during the exchanges for flying eagle cents. That 35,180 is probably significantly larger than the number that actually got out. It is an interesting year. And there are some collectors who make an entire collection out of just on variety, the 1804 C-6. It comes in more than 20 significant and sometimes dramatic die stages. It is a common variety, but there are enough die stage collectors that it can make it a little tough to get one.
I haven't looked at or even thought about my Braided Hair half cent since I completed it years ago. It's a Red Book set. Here's my 1857: Hah, now I can tell it's been a while. The label image is about as big as the coin images. I haven't done that in a LONG time.
