1861-O 50C AU58 Certification #80655547, PCGS #6303

WB-1, W-2 Union Issue. R-5 (Rare, 31-75 extant. 2nd most rare of 1861-O die marriages, per Wiley and Bugert). Comments from GFRC auction catalogue: Rare Union Issue, W-2 Die Pairing, Reflective Luster, Choice Original Surfaces, Lightly Mirrored Fields, Fully Struck, Newtown Collection. The 1861-O half dollar is ever fascinating, with coins variously struck under Union, Louisiana, and Confederate control. The recovery of thousands of examples from the SS Republic shipwreck only adds to the lore of the popular issue. This Union-struck example is deeply impressed, with nearly all claw joints distinct. The obverse exhibits alternating shades of silver and deep maroon, while the reverse is more lightly shaded with russet color at the rim and in the fields. W-2, with the date slanting up, mintmark punched high, and a reverse die crack connecting (STAT)ES. Housed in a PCGS Gen 6.0 (2015-2020) holder. Bought from the Newtown Collection Liberty Seated Numismatic Auction Sale - Part 1. My attribution based on info from "A Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties, Volume IV, by Bill Bugert: Rarity 5, 31-75 known pieces. This Obverse 1B. The tine is off of 1 completely, no halo around stars, weaker where inner fold attaches to elbow and leg, toes not enclosed, clash line extends like a hypotenuse of a right triangle connecting edge of gown where it drapes across arm inside elbow to leg below. This is reverse Ba which is same as reverse B except it is cracked. There is a partial halo around central device that is most apparent below right wing, a crack along top of ES OF, a crack inside of CA through bottom of serif of C and across top of triangle of A, and crack along bottom of F DOL.

Ron Guth

In a survey of the members of the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, published in the March 2008 issue of the Gobrecht Journal, the 1861-O Half Dollar was ranked ninth among the Ten Greatest New Orleans Seated Coins: "This issue had the highest mintage of the New Orleans mint coins under consideration for this listing but it was the last Seated coin struck at this branch mint before it was taken over by the Confederacy.  Examples of this issue are in demand as the only collectible coin struck by the CSA.  Many thousands exist and they can be obtained in all grades including mint state.  Randy Wiley described 14 collectible die marriages for this date in Issue #94 of the journal and this group of coins would make a nice set in itself for the Seated half dollar specialist.  Of particular interest would be the existence of some 1861-O proof coins that were listed by Randy Wiley in Issue #97 of the journal.  Most recently an example described as Brilliant Proof was sold for $17,250 in the Stack's auction of the Byers Collection in October 2006.  This issue received scattered support from the respondents, most likely a function of a member's interest in the Civil War and the coins struck during this period in US history."