1833 H10C MS63 Certification #26460728, PCGS #4280

1833 Capped Bust Half Dime PCGS MS63 CAC, Die variety LM-10, Rarity 1. Well struck and untoned with bright silver surfaces with a hint of gold, and a bold strike on all of Liberty's curls and the eagle's wings. Clean surfaces and lustrous (PCGS 4280). Estimated auction value $600-650. PCGS value $850 at time of purchase. Purchased as Lot 531 at Pre-Long Beach Auction #117 from Ira and Larry Goldberg Auctioneers for successful high-bid of $650 and 20% commission and 1% shipping for $786.50 total (9/14/2020) LM-10 refers to a later die state, with die cracks on both the obverse and reverse. The obverse is a "Scarface" variety with a slender vertical die crack across the lower half of Liberty's cheek and neck. The reverse has lumps on the second S of STATES which fill both loops of the S, indicative of the final use of this reverse die. The reverse also exhibits numerous other scattered cracks, including along the I of UNITED, and second T of STATES, from the bottom of the 5 to the dentils, from the top arrow to the right wing, and from the tip of the lowest arrowhead to the dentils below Variety LM-10, which is one of 10 different die marriages known from the 3 obverses and 7 reverses used on the 1833 Capped Bust Half Dime (mintage 1,370,000). Varieties LM-2 and LM-5 are the rare ones for 1833, with LM-6 being a little less so. LM-1 and LM-8 are slightly scarce, while the remaining die marriages are all common. Vibrant satin luster, sharply struck, highly attractive. This MS63 CAC coin is premium, and looks nicer than many MS64 coins, (which sell for more than $900) and could probably be resubmitted to PCGS to be upgraded to MS63+ or MS64. Good strike, with the stars being especially detailed and sharp.

Ron Guth

The 1833 Half Dime is a very common coin in circulated condition and in most Mint State grades, up to and including MS-64.  Gem examples are semi-scarce and even superb examples can be found with little effort.  The PCGS CoinFacts Condition Census consists almost entirely of MS67 examples, and the finest known example is a single PCGS MS67+ (illustrated above).  Most 1833 Half Dimes show a frosty luster and a strong, evenly balanced strike.