1866 Liberty Seated Half Dime Proof : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

Whereas Robert E. Lee surrendered command of the Military of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865, the American Civil Battle didn’t formally finish till August 20, 1866, when President Andrew Johnson issued a proclamation of peace. For the South, the time period “peace” hardly described day by day life in a society dwelling with the repercussions of its insurrection and subsequent defeat.

To show the web page, the Federal Authorities instituted a collection of insurance policies to reintegrate the Southern states, rebuild its battle-scarred cities, and combine freed Blacks, who made up 30% of the Southern inhabitants, into the American political system. Sadly, these efforts have been met with steadfast resistance and violence from Southern elites and working-class Whites, who noticed the rise of Black financial and political energy as a risk to their freedom and liberty. Three amendments to the United States Structure expanded freedom and the franchise to hundreds of thousands of individuals; in follow, it might take till the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to completely shield the rights of Black Individuals.

A lot of this difficult tapestry of American historical past was but to play out, and for a era of Individuals who had spent the final 5 years in a state of uncertainty, battle, and privation, the top of hostilities between the states was met with a lot reduction.

An indication of this optimism performed out with an vital design change to American coinage.

In 1864, the United States Mint issued a Two-Cent Piece, a copper coin that was meant to flow into at a time when few American cash did. That denomination was the primary to hold the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, a pious message to assuage the spirits of the deeply spiritual American individuals at a most attempting time. In 1866, the usage of that motto expanded to the quarter, half greenback, silver greenback, half eagle, eagle, and double eagle. In consequence, demand for Proof cash elevated by 45% for the silver denominations and 20% for the gold ones.

The denominations that didn’t endure design modifications have been deemed too small to suit the extra textual content. For silver cash, the designs of the half dime and dime have been unchanged.

The 1866 Liberty Seated Half Dime Proof in Context

Mint information point out that 725 1866 Liberty Seated Half Dime Proofs have been struck. These cash have been produced with an excellent end, and cash struck with recent correctly ready dies could exhibit some extent of cameo frost.

NGC and PCGS have mixed to report 438 grading occasions for the date. CAC has accepted 44 of those cash as sturdy for the grade and licensed one. This represents simply over 60% of the full mintage however possible overstates the variety of cash because of unreported crossovers and resubmissions. Suffice it to say, at the very least 50% of the unique mintage possible survives, with most of those falling within the Proof 63 to Proof 64 grade vary.

The best examples fall within the Proof 67 or Proof 68 grade ranges. No coin with Deep Cameo/Extremely Cameo has graded finer than Proof 67+. The only real most interesting at PCGS upgraded from 67 to 67+ and was possible positioned within the Bob R. Simpson Assortment by Legend Numismatics. Likewise, the best recognized NGC PF67UCAM was an improve from a PCGS PR66DCAM coin that crossed over in 2011.

Market Knowledge and Noteworthy Specimens

High Inhabitants: PCGS PR67+DCAM (1, 11/2024), NGC PF67UCAM (1, 11/2024), and CAC PR67DCAM (2:0 stickered:graded, 11/2024).

• NGC PF68 #274451-030: P. Kaufman; Heritage Auctions, August 2, 2012, Lot 3163 – $14,100. P. Kaufman on insert. Blue firming all through with apricot and purple highlights.
• PCGS PR67+DCAM CAC #40323113: As PCGS PR67DCAM CAC #31398417. Heritage Auctions, January 29, 2015, Lot 3069 – $19,975. As PCGS PR67DCAM CAC #40323113. “The Bob R. Simpson Assortment, Half I,” Heritage Auctions, September 17, 2020, Lot 10042 – $19,800. Simpson novelty insert. Upgraded one-half level.
• NGC PF67UCAM #3551175-002: As PCGS PR66DCAM #06648193. Heritage Auctions, September 24, 2010, Lot 5094 – $6,900. As NGC PF67UCAM #3551175-002. Stack’s Bowers, August 13, 2011, Lot 8271 – $9,775. Crossed to NGC, the place the coin upgraded by one level; Heritage Auctions, October 18, 2012, Lot 3867 – $9,693.75; Heritage Auctions, January 2019, Lot 3037 – $5,280; Heritage Auctions, January 11, 2023, Lot 3123 – $7,500.
• NGC PF67 #631002-001: “The Solar Tzu Assortment,” Heritage Auctions, August 2, 2017, Lot 3460 – $6,756.25. Heat golden firming. Deep cameo reverse.
• PCGS PR67 #10003938: Heritage Auctions, August 8, 2001, Lot 5657 – $6,325.
• PCGS PR66DCAM #25304866: Heritage Auctions, August 5, 2014, Lot 3439 – $6,168.75. Darkish spot above LIBERTY on protect.

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Coin Specs

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