1861-O Half possible speared olive?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Yankee42, Jan 17, 2025.

  1. Yankee42

    Yankee42 Well-Known Member

    I understand this coin is very worn but could this be the speared olive reverse?
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  3. l.cutler

    l.cutler Member

    looks like it may be to me. The angles look a little different but may just be from wear.
     
  4. Evan8

    Evan8 A Little Off Center

  5. SensibleSal66

    SensibleSal66 U.S Casual Collector / Error Collector

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  6. H8_modern

    H8_modern Attracted to small round-ish art

    Looks good to me. I’ve managed to grab 2

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  7. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    You're not alone there. It's a new one on me, as well.

    Aha! So this is one of the CSA issues, then? Cool. But tell me what the markers for this supposed "speared olive" are? What am I supposed to be looking at? Is there something going on with the top cluster of olives? o_O
     
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  8. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    OK, since Coinfacts was sparse on details, I Googled around and found this much in an old Heritage description, at least:

     
  9. SensibleSal66

    SensibleSal66 U.S Casual Collector / Error Collector

    "Long live the Union"
     
  10. Yankee42

    Yankee42 Well-Known Member

    I’m trying to learn myself. I picked up this cull half because it appeared to have one of the 3 die markers that it was made by the CSA. One is the die lines between the eagle’s tail and the upper olive. The other two are a thin die crack along the left side of the 6 in the date and a die crack from liberty’s nose to the rim.
     
  11. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    I knew in general that there were such markers on 1861-O halves, but never the specific details of what those markers actually are. So I learned a little here.

    Wondered about that stuff back when I owned this coin.

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  12. Yankee42

    Yankee42 Well-Known Member

    I’ve always been bad with varieties so I am trying to read more and learn more about them.
     
  13. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Likewise. I will never be a die variety guy.

    Still, stuff like that is always good to know.
     
  14. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    Since no one appears to have said specifically, Yes, all of the first three coins are speared olive coins and therefor made by the Confederacy. Lordmarcovan's coin does not appear to be a speared olive, nor is it a divided date (vertical die crack between the 86). But there are four other Confederate varieties so it could still be one of those. There are also 6 LA varieties and 2 US varieties as possibilities, and the US varieties are actually scarcer than the CSA. But not as popular.
     
    Yankee42 likes this.
  15. Yankee42

    Yankee42 Well-Known Member

    Thank you.
     
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