1839 50C No Drapery AU50 Certification #15562623, PCGS #6230

CoinFacts Details

Expert Comments

Charles Morgan

The 1839 Liberty Seated Half Dollar, No Drapery

The Wiley-Bugert reference assigns major catalog numbers WB-101 to the 1839 Liberty Seated Half Dollar No Drapery (#6230) and WB-102 to the With Drapery variety (#6232). The term "drapery" refers to a small section of fabric extending from behind Liberty's raised elbow to her left knee. On coins struck with "no drapery" dies, this feature is absent; instead, the edge of the fabric terminates in a slightly diagonal line just to the right of the pole, leaving an open space beneath Liberty's elbow.

Breaking it down further, within the No Drapery type (WB-101), the Bugert reference identifies four distinct die marriages struck from two obverse and four reverse dies:

WB-1 (#572000): Obverse 1 + Reverse A
WB-2 (#801665): Obverse 1 + Reverse B
WB-3 (#801666): Obverse 1 + Reverse C
WB-4 (#801667): Obverse 2 + Reverse D

Because auction catalogers and non-specialist dealers rarely report specific die marriages, tracking sales data for individual WB-1 through WB-4 varieties remains challenging — creating prime opportunities for alert cherrypickers.

* * *

PCGS #

6230

Designer

Thomas Sully/Christian Gobrecht

Edge

Reeded

Diameter

30.00 millimeters

Weight

13.36 grams

Mintage

100000

Metal

90% Silver, 10% Copper

Pop Higher

103

Pop Lower

297

Region

The United States of America

Price Guide

PCGS Population

Auctions - PCGS Graded

Auctions - NGC Graded

Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More

Grades	Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.	Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.	Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.	Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	1500	R-4.8	1 / 1	99 / 126 TIE
All Grades	50	R-8.5	1 / 1	51 / 126 TIE
60 or Better	3	R-9.8	1 / 1	18 / 126 TIE

Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.
65 or Better	1500
All Grades	50
60 or Better	3

Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.
65 or Better	R-4.8
All Grades	R-8.5
60 or Better	R-9.8

Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	1 / 1
All Grades	1 / 1
60 or Better	1 / 1

Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	99 / 126 TIE
All Grades	51 / 126 TIE
60 or Better	18 / 126 TIE

Condition Census Learn More

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	PCGS MS65+	As PCGS MS65 #2574984. "The Larry H. Miller Collection," Stack's Bowers, December 17, 2020, Lot 1081 - $138,000. As PCGS MS65 #56865345. "The Contursi Family" (PCGS Set Registry). WB-4.
1	Est. MS65+	As PCGS #38681270. Heritage Auctions, April 23, 2020, Lot 3711 - $150,000; Dell Loy Hansen. WB-1. This coin is no longer in a PCGS holder.
1	Est. MS65+	As NGC MS67 #1727946-010. “The Joseph C. Thomas Collection, Part Two,” Heritage Auctions, January 6, 2011, Lot 5558 – $172,500.
4	PCGS MS65	‘The Lawrence Stack Type Set,” Stack’s, by sale, January 2003. As PCGS MS65 #32916369. “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, March 31, 2017, Lot 5026 – $141,000; Oliver Jung; Dell Loy Hansen. Lustrous example with speckled orange and magenta toning throughout.
4	PCGS MS65	Kevin Lipton, September 2005. Unknown Intermediary. As NGC MS65 #448216-002. Heritage Auctions, June 23, 2014, Lot 30482 – $88,125. As PCGS MS65 #49629847. WB-1.

#1 PCGS MS65+

As PCGS MS65 #2574984. "The Larry H. Miller Collection," Stack's Bowers, December 17, 2020, Lot 1081 - $138,000. As PCGS MS65 #56865345. "The Contursi Family" (PCGS Set Registry). WB-4.

#1 Est. MS65+

As PCGS #38681270. Heritage Auctions, April 23, 2020, Lot 3711 - $150,000; Dell Loy Hansen. WB-1. This coin is no longer in a PCGS holder.

#1 Est. MS65+

As NGC MS67 #1727946-010. “The Joseph C. Thomas Collection, Part Two,” Heritage Auctions, January 6, 2011, Lot 5558 – $172,500.

#4 PCGS MS65

‘The Lawrence Stack Type Set,” Stack’s, by sale, January 2003. As PCGS MS65 #32916369. “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, March 31, 2017, Lot 5026 – $141,000; Oliver Jung; Dell Loy Hansen. Lustrous example with speckled orange and magenta toning throughout.

#4 PCGS MS65

Kevin Lipton, September 2005. Unknown Intermediary. As NGC MS65 #448216-002. Heritage Auctions, June 23, 2014, Lot 30482 – $88,125. As PCGS MS65 #49629847. WB-1.