RWB

Is "half a WAM" a "WAC?"

Congratulations on completing a very difficult set! It might be of interest that on Dec 7, 1922 30,000 new haves were transferred from SF to St. Louis, 50,000 new halves from Denver to Boston, and 100,000 new halves from Denver to New York. With no new halves made in 1922 it is likely these coins were either 1920 or 1921 date pieces. If dated 1921 it means that Denver transferred 2/3 of its total mintage to Boston and NYC -- where they almost certainly entered holiday circulation. [RG50 E-89A Vol 1. "Transfers of gold, silver and minor coins." Here's the Denver Cashier's statement showing the transfers ($75,000). I don't have the SF statements.

Not at present. I continue to research restrikes, novodels, sales of patterns and related. This largely occurs in the 1818 to 1887 period. Some of the articles came from message board questions that also appear in older US Mint letters. Others are intended to normalize understanding of practices ans nomenclature. The proof half cent articles come from the wider restrike research and were prepared to offer early copper enthusiasts broader options for determining proof mintages and die use. Morgans might need a future look after the new variety arbiters are better established, and hopefully cleaned up some of the confusion. The two medal articles were prepared as responses to citizen questions to the US Mint and/or NARA.

The first generally accepted US master coins (proofs) date from 1818. Normal practice was to polish the fields and let the relief hold its acid etch (frost) as long as it could. Occasional touch-up might have been attempted because neither surface lasted very long. But -- there was little reason to make more than a couple until the 1830s and rise of collectors. By the 1850 it became common to polish planchets also and this helped avoid frequent repolishing of dies.

Uh....no.....they sprayed the bags with mint essence from the local Greek lamb restaurant...now that's a "mint fresh" bag. [PS: Originally the US Mint used Lamb roasting bags from the Greek restaurant for coins, but the copper "toned" too quickly.]

Several research articles I’ve written will be appearing in hobby publications over the next few months. This is posted to give members an update in case they are looking for fresh research information on any of these subjects. Half Cent Proofs – 1840s and Restrikes Additional Confirmation of Large Berry Half Cents as Contemporaneous Pieces. Method for Estimating 19th Century Proof Coins Struck before Repolishing Dies. Thoughts on Production of Half Cent Proof Restrikes. U.S. Medals FDR Presidential Medals 1919 Victory Loan Medal General Subjects Why Arrows and Rays Were Added to Silver Coins in 1853. The Last Restrikes of U.S. Coins. Reusing Reverse Dies Across Multiple Years – A Solution to the 1877 Cent Problem. A Brief History of United States Proof Coins.

Rather than praying, which benefits only yourself, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 and donate $10 to help them provide local assistance. That is how your "prayers" get a meaningful response.

"Disme" was commonplace in English until about 1810 when younger writers began using "dime." Disme continues in US Mint correspondence of older people until about 1875 when it vanishes completely. In English it is was pronounced "dym" regardless of spelling. (There are couple of draft letters by Mint Director Moore using "disme" where the final clerk's copy uses "dime.")

No. It is post-mint damage. No collector value.

Coin quality was similar to that of other gold from original bags (250 per bag). Collectors seldom realize how nice mint-fresh coins look.

The article was submitted to The Numismatist this morning. I have no information on publication date. Update - at present publication is planned in two parts for January and February 2023...over a year from now. Again, thanks to all!

From the earliest US Specimen/Master coins. This was in imitation of British proofs especially samples from Matthew Boulton and others.

Thanks all for the posted and private "proof coin manufacture" comments and questions. I've completed the article and it will be submitted for publication on Monday Dec 13.

No value.

Nice Washington! Someone should make very light slab holders so these could also be put n the tree....and maybe some very tiny lights?

Advertising elephants?

Clashed dies - dies came together without a planchet between them. No trace of anything resembling "1951" date. How did the OP determine this was "1947/1951" ?

When an ad includes the words "a highly sought specimen," run away, or at least turn around and take another path. The "coin" offered is likely price 50% to 75% over its real FMV. This ad also includes some substantial bologna: "This starter set introduced by our company some 20 years ago has been responsible for countless of investors and collectors to pursue the endeavor of building a world class collection of this legendary series of American numismatics." How many is "countless" ? How were they identified? Investors and collectors -- really? Define "world class" -- especially if the coins are generic MS-64 --- which is a mediocre condition for unc Morgan dollars.... Etc., etc. .....

The found coins weighed about 1/2-Roman talent (talent = 34.02 kg) Under Julius Caesar soldiers’ pay was made in three installments of 75 denarii in January, May and September. Domitian changed the intervals to every three months and thus increased pay to 300 denarii. Under Severus pay was raised to an estimated 450 denarii. Approx. 450 denarii paid in four stipendia. 5,500 denarii = 112.5 per stipendium per soldier = 48.9 soldiers’ pay. This suggests that the recovered coins might have been part of the quarterly pay (1 talent of silver) of a Roman century, excluding officers and cavalry. (A "century" being 100 soldiers.)

Yes...but you can't read anything on the relief. Here's a typical early half with string clashing visible in the field - but not in the relief, except for the very lowest portion near Lib's ear.

Compliments on the photos, especially in the morning! Will defer to others on the subject.

Consider other possible causes. Any impact hard enough to transfer into the design (especially near the eagle's shoulder), would likely shatter both dies. (The field - high point - of the convex dies would touch first at center. To transfer into the recessed design requires enough energy to force aside parts of the field before any part of the relief could be touched. The penetration depth into adjacent field would have to be the same as that into the relief....more like a chisel. Also, this is very hard, tough steel.)

Double-dead, not doubled-die....

Yep. The famous "slight overrun" excuse from the die dept. when asked -- as if they were painting a house.

Interesting....I had thought the Mint simply made the dies look that bad from the start, so they could just let 'em run until the coins looked like electrical box knock-outs. But that South Carolina design is so bad it couldn't have been intentional....