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Message:: [QUOTE="Dougmeister, post: 1982189, member: 56842"]Did you know all of this already? <a href="http://images.goldbergauctions.com/php/lot_auc.php?site=1&sale=36&lot=2922" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://images.goldbergauctions.com/php/lot_auc.php?site=1&sale=36&lot=2922" rel="nofollow">http://images.goldbergauctions.com/php/lot_auc.php?site=1&sale=36&lot=2922</a> 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.[/QUOTE]

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