You know the U.S.had a branch mint in New Orleans, Lousiana. You, also know Lousiana was a Southern State, seceded from the Union in 1861 and became a member of The Confederate States of America. Do you know that all the dies for new coinage struck by the branch mints in 1861 were made by the Philadelphia Mint? Here's nine things you may not have realized: 1. New Orleans Struck 2,532,633 Liberty Seated Half Dollars during 1861. 2. 330,000 of those were struck at New Orleans before Louisana seceded from the Union in January, 1861 3. After secession, before Louisana became a Confederate State, New Orleans struck 1,240,000 1861-O Half Dollars. 4. After Louisana became a Confederate State New Orleans struck 962,000 1861-O halves fulfilling their contract with the Union just before the mint was seized by the Confederacy. 5. Since all the dies were made by the Philly Mint, there is no way to tell which were struck when. The're alike. 6. Some of those 1861-O halves were struck with a die whose obverse had cracked during it's use. 7. The halves with the die crack (running from nose to the rim) sell for a premium. 8. New Orleans did not strike Union coins again until 1879. 9. It did, however, strike Confederate half dollars using the Union's "crack-on-the-obverse" die. Click for image: www.coinfacts.com/half_dollars/seated_liberty_half_dollars/1861o_half_dollar.htm Clinker
You can even get a set of three pieces, US, Louisiana and Confederate strikes. Certified as shipwreck coins, with salt water damage (at no extra charge). But, you may have to mortgage the house to buy the set.
Well, they (and NGC) claim that they can tell from the die state. Breen-4906, lists the 'Cracked Confederate obv.' "Crack, rim to bridge of nose close to seventh star; obv earlier used (April 1861) to make the 4 Confederate proofs." How they determine the Louisiana pieces is anyone's guess, unless they 'assume' an earlier die state of the die crack.
To Treashunt Treashunt: YES! There were regular "broken Die" coins made that command a premium, regular business strikes of the Confederate Halves and the four proof Confederate Halves. All scarce or rare! Clinker
Nice post Clinker, I did a search for photos and accidently stumbled on this:http://www.coinfacts.com/confederate_coins/1861_scott_restrike.htm An 1879 restrike that used original Confederate dies...and it can be yours for only $4715
To Mikjo0 Hi Mikjo0: Thanks for the added link. You notice the "Liberty Cap (Freedom Cap)" hanging on a pole? It was okay for The white people of the Confederated States to be "free"' but not the black skinned people. Clinker
According to the Wiley-Bugert reference, there are two ways to tell the Confederate strikes - WB-102 and WB-104. 102 has the die crack from by the nose to next to the star. 104 is called the speared olive bud. Now I have no idea who actually found the details first, Breen or Wiley-Bugert. But I have a bit of a problem with it and perhaps the TPGs have the same problem ( I don't know for sure if they do or not ) which may explain why they never slab any of these coins as Confederate strikes. And that is this - that 2,202,000 would have to have been struck with the same die. And since the die was cracked already, I have a hard time believing that. But I am certainly no expert on the subject and could very well be wrong.
