Not the Part 3 I expected.

This is a tale of five 1843 V-4 shattered reverse half dimes. I was aware of three of them on the market recently, all graded MS 63. The first was on a dealer's website, the second was in the internet-only session after Part 4 of the Gardner Collection sale, and the third was in a separate Heritage internet-only session last Sunday. Part 2 was about that second, Gardner coin, which is now mine. I had intended to get the third one as well. It was especially good looking, with colorful rainbow toning on both sides. But it got a little too pricey for me, and I let it go.

When the Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) meeting ended Friday morning (at the Baltimore show), one of our Registry friends greeted me. He had a coin to show me. It was the first example, just acquired from the dealer!

Earlier this year, there was an article in the Gobrecht Journal (official publication of the LSCC) about 1843 shattered reverse half dimes. It shows five different states of the reverse. All three of these MS 63 examples are in the last of those die states. I have not seen an example of the other variety discussed in that article.

After chatting with our friend for a little while, I proceeded to search the bourse for more interesting half dimes. I came across another 1843 shattered reverse - the same variety and die state as the other three, this one graded MS 65. Based on these small number statistics, I have concluded that this latest known die state must be fairly common.

A few hours later, with lunch and part of the Stack's Bowers auction session under my belt (ha ha), I was out on the bourse continuing my search. And there it was, number five, graded MS 64. But this one struck me as different. Not having the GJ article or my coin with me, I was thinking of looking at the MS 65 again to write myself a detailed description to bring back to this MS 64. But I looked up from the case, and there was our Registry friend. So I asked to see his coin again. We looked at both together and concluded that indeed this fifth coin represents an earlier die state than the other four.

I went home Friday without that coin (but did pick up an 1841-O for my main set). Saturday morning, I went back to pick up my auction winning (an 1855, with a crack across the reverse, also for the main set). Having done a little more homework Friday evening, and having examined the finances a little more, I also bought that MS 64 1843 shattered reverse half dime. (Surely you expected that, after this whole story...)

Unfortunately, the best photo I have so far does not show the cracks too clearly. But here it is.

Alan

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