1800 H10C Libekty N1 Certification #44285782, PCGS #4265

Charles Morgan

The 1800 Draped Bust Half Dime, LIBEKTY Varieties

Of the five known die marriages that produced 1800 Draped Bust Half Dimes, three used on obverse with a broken R letter punch that turned LIBERTY into LIBEKTY. The most common of the three pairings associeted with this Red Book variety is the LM-3 (Base #4265; LM-3 #38603). 

The Red Book attributes 16,000 coins of the 40,000 1800 half dimes to the LIBEKTY varieties, however, the PCGS Population Report does not align with these estimates, as LIBERTYs outnumber LIBEKTYs by a factor of 4:1. 

The "Common" LM-3

Though classified as Rarity-4 (Very Scarce), it is significantly more attainable than its counterparts.

• The Obverse: Features the distinct "K" shape in LIBERTY. On later die states, you may notice small raised bumps near Star 1.
• The Reverse: Identifying this variety often requires looking at the word PLURIBUS.

Many LM-3 examples show die damage at the letters "BUS."The "Hair" Connection: Interestingly, the damage on the reverse die was so significant that it often affected the strike on the opposite side, resulting in weakened detail in Liberty’s hair.

The Rarity: LM-4 (The "Equal Arrowheads")

The LM-4 is an incredibly rare R-7 die marriage (only 2 to 3 known to exist). While it shares the "LIBEKTY" obverse with the LM-3, it is paired with a different reverse (Reverse B).

• Key Identifier: Unlike other varieties, the top three arrowheads in the eagle's claw are of equal height.
• Placement: The word STATES is positioned unusually high above the clouds.

This variety was the rarest in the series for decades until the recent discovery of the LM-5.

The "Missing Link": LM-5 (The Unique Discovery)

In 2022, PCGS identified a previously unknown 1800 "LIBEKTY" die marriage, designated as LM-5 (#906788). This is currently a unique specimen (PCGS AU Details - Holed), making it the rarest die marriage in the entire Draped Bust Half Dime series. The LM-5 shares the same reverse die as the 1801 LM-1 (#38605). Prior to its discovery, specialists assumed the LM-1 reverse was first prepared for the 1801 issues; however, we now know this reverse was introduced in late 1800, establishing the LM-5 as the 'missing link' in the emission sequence between 1800 and 1801.

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