A Pair of 1795 Half Dollars...Attribution Help Would Be Appreciated!

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by BryceS, Dec 12, 2024.

  1. BryceS

    BryceS Member

    Hello,

    I picked up a couple of 1795 Half Dollars on the cheap. I always struggle to attribute these coins, so I wanted to see if I could get some help on the attribution. Thank you all so much!
     

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    BryceS, Dec 12, 2024
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    KSorbo, Pickin and Grinin, masterswimmer and 2 others like this.
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  3. SensibleSal66

    SensibleSal66 U.S Casual Collector / Error Collector

    They would be nicer if Johnny didn't play with Dad's tools anymore. screaming.gif
     
    SensibleSal66, Dec 12, 2024
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  4. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    The 95 isn't terribe, I am not the guy to help.
     
    Pickin and Grinin, Dec 12, 2024
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  5. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    What he said. Aside from that one obverse scratch across the face, that second 1795 is rather appealing. The first one is tragic, but interesting. The attack on Liberty was plainly deliberate and not random. One wonders what went on there.

    Wounded or not, they've got some appeal, if the price was right. In 48 years of collecting, I have yet to own a single piece of Flowing Hair silver.
     
    lordmarcovan, Dec 13, 2024
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  6. okbustchaser

    okbustchaser I may be old but I still appreciate a pretty bust Supporter

    Not as strong on FHs but appears to be O-116 on the first; O-129 on second
     
    okbustchaser, Dec 13, 2024
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  7. KBBPLL

    KBBPLL Well-Known Member

    I've wondered this myself. So many of these are defaced with an X scratched in. I've noticed it a lot on Canadian coins with Queen Victoria. People must have hated her. But Liberty? Who hated liberty?
     
    KBBPLL, Dec 13, 2024
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  8. Publius2

    Publius2 Well-Known Member

    Agree. I think this is a solid attribution. I have the O-116 as a R-4 and the O-129 as a R-5. This from the Fifth Edition of Parsley.
     
    Publius2, Dec 13, 2024
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  9. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    I suspect there’s some other reason for those deliberate defacements. Might have even been something semi-practical at the time? But who knows. I don’t.
     
    lordmarcovan, Dec 13, 2024
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  10. BryceS

    BryceS Member

    Thank you all for your help!
     
    BryceS, Dec 16, 2024
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  11. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    I imagine that there were some British citizens who were not happy about how the American Revolution turned out.
     
    johnmilton, Dec 18, 2024
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  12. KBBPLL

    KBBPLL Well-Known Member

    That's a good thought. It was only 12 years after the war ended and there were probably still a lot of Tories around. Could have circulated in Canada or elsewhere too.
     
    KBBPLL, Dec 18, 2024
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  13. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    I never considered this idea. It makes a certain bit of sense, I suppose.

    Once while metal detecting I dug a 1902-O Barber quarter that had a small, deliberate “X” cut obliterating the Union shield on the eagle’s breast. I idly wondered whether a disaffected Confederate veteran had done that (I found the coin in NC), or whether it was merely a case of boredom with a tool-wielding graffitist. There’s no way to say for sure, but it was kind of interesting to speculate on.
     
    lordmarcovan, Dec 18, 2024
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