Seated Liberty Half Dollar (1839-1891)
Mint Location: Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carson City
Designer: Christian Gobrecht, Thomas Sully
Composition: 90 silver; 10% copper
Weight: 1837 13.36g, 1853 12.44g, 1873 12.5g
Edge Type: Reeded
The basic design is a figure of Liberty is clad in a flowing dress and seated upon a rock. In her left hand, she holds a Liberty pole surmounted by a Phrygian cap. Liberty’s right hand rested on the top corner of a striped shield with a diagonal banner inscribed with the word “Liberty”. The shield represented preparedness in the defense of freedom. The date of the coin appeared on the bottom below Liberty.
The reverse featured a central eagle about to take flight, with a striped shield upon its breast. The eagle clutched an olive branch of peace in its right talons and a group of arrows in its left talons. Above the eagle around the rim were the words “United States of America” and below the eagle around the rim lay the coin denomination. Beginning in 1866, the coins featured a ribbon with the motto “In God We Trust” above the eagle.
There are Six Types of the coin: Type 1, No Drapery (1839), Type 2, No Motto (1839-1866), Type 3, Arrows & Rays (1853), Type 4, No Motto, Arrows at Date (1854-1855), Type 5, With Motto (1866-1891), Type 6, With Motto, Arrows at Date (1873-1874)
Coin Values: The most sought after coin of this design is the 1874-CC. Of 15,000 minted only 200 are known. All Types are found in Fine to AU grades commonly. A slabbed 1844 MS64 Type 2 sold for $2450 while a 1873-CC MS63 Type 6 sold for $12,500.
1839 50c Seated Liberty Type 1
1841 50c Seated Liberty Type 2
1853O 50c Seated Liberty Type 3
1855 50c Seated Liberty Type 4
1877 50c Seated Liberty Type 5
1874 50c Seated Liberty Type 6