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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Conder101, post: 684241, member: 66&quot;]Yes the uncracked die can be identified through die markers.&nbsp; Look for the spike coming off of the top left of the 1 that was polished off to create 5b before they paired it with the CSA rev.&nbsp; The spike is present on both the uncracked (5) and early cracked state (5a).&nbsp; Unfortunately obv 1 and 4 also have a similar spike but it is higher up on obv 5 roughly at the same level as the top of the 1.&nbsp; The date also slopes up to the right more steeply than on any other obv.</p><p><br /></p><p>Yes the 5b state was first paired with the CSA rev and then later re-mated with rev E.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In Jan 1861 the New Orleans Mint began the year striking coin for the Union.&nbsp; Some 330,000 half dollars were struck but only about 54,000 of them were dated 1861.&nbsp; The rest were dated 1860.&nbsp; The 1860 dies were destroyed some time between Jan 26 and Jan 31st.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>On Jan 31st the New Orleans Mint was taken over by the State of Louisiana.&nbsp; A further 1,184,912 half dollars were struck by the State between Jan 31st and April.</p><p><br /></p><p>Around April 1st the CSA took over the New Orleans Mint from the State of LA.&nbsp; Production of half dollars continuned under the CSA.&nbsp; (Why? Because the country needed coinage.)&nbsp; In early April four pattern CSA half dollars were struck using the 5b state obv.&nbsp; Why? Probably because it was already in the press.&nbsp; After the patterns were struck the E rev was returned to the press and coinage continued.&nbsp; On April 30th coinage ceased because of a lack of bullion.&nbsp; From April 1 to April 30 the CSA struck 1,018,000 coins with the US dies.&nbsp; On May 18th the US half dollar dies were defaced.&nbsp; The mint formally closed on May 31st 1861.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Larry Briggs did not write a book on Seate halves, it was seated quarters.&nbsp; The book coinman was thinking of was the Wiley-Bugert book The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars.&nbsp; This book is long out of print and very difficult to find a copy of.&nbsp; Fortunately it IS available on-line for FREE!!</p><p><a href="http://www.stellacoinnews.com/index.php/reference-books/the-complete-guide-to-liberty-seated-half-dollars/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.stellacoinnews.com/index.php/reference-books/the-complete-guide-to-liberty-seated-half-dollars/" rel="nofollow">http://www.stellacoinnews.com/index.php/reference-books/the-complete-guide-to-liberty-seated-half-dollars/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Even better more up to date information can be found in the Gobrecht Journal issues #94 and #97.&nbsp; Unfortunately these may be rather hard to come by.&nbsp; Talk to me about them privately.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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