1835 Bust Half Dollar

[physics-fan3.14]

The 1835 Bust Half has been one of the most elusive coins so far in my set. This date seems deceptively difficult, especially given the reported mintage of over 5 million coins. Finding this coin in a PCGS or NGC slab graded EF is almost impossible!

 

Looking at the mintage charts, I'm beginning to wonder if a significant portion of the mintage was dated with another year. Take a look at the chart below, and tell me what you think: many of the 1834 dated coins were minted after the 1835 die marriage. Is it then possible that the coinage dated 1835 is thus much less than reported? Furthermore, just looking at the number of marriages for 1835, it is considerably less than other years. 1835 has 10 marriages and a mintage of 5.3 million, whereas 1832 has just under 5 million, but has 23 die marriages. 1827 has only 100k more than 1835, but has 49 die marriages! Am I supposed to believe that the dies improved so significantly in such a short time? Or is there something else going on?

 

 

So, lets discuss this elusive coin. Post your thoughts, comments, or your own examples. Here are two of mine. Feel free to guess the grades and O#s

 

 

 

[okbustchaser]

I've seen estimates that as much as 30 percent of the reported 1835 mintage carried the 1834 date. This also goes to explain why 1834 halves are so much more plentiful than their reported mintage would indicate.

 

My personal observation is that even though mintage for 1834 is listed as only being about 15 pecent higher than 1835 in real life they are easily 30 to 40 percent more common.

[No+4Me]

That's some very interesting reading. Strange goings on at the mint. Here is my 1835, a vf example. glad I wasn't looking for xf!

[x2rider]

AS somebody looking for a nice 35 , I feel your pain

As for the grades I'll go for a au53 and an xf40

[zeewool]

Very interesting observations Jim...... I believe also that this overlap in dates was a fairly common occurrence with CBH.....

[physics-fan3.14]

I've seen estimates that as much as 30 percent of the reported 1835 mintage carried the 1834 date. This also goes to explain why 1834 halves are so much more plentiful than their reported mintage would indicate.

 

My personal observation is that even though mintage for 1834 is listed as only being about 15 pecent higher than 1835 in real life they are easily 30 to 40 percent more common.

 

Great observations, OK. Looking at the NGC Pop reports, the 1835 has the smallest total number certified of any of the later dates at 722 (the latest date with fewer total is 1822). That is much less than half of 1834, at 1970 coins. In EF-40, the numbers are 83 1834's, and 36 1835's.

 

And the thing is, an 1835 can be had for pretty much the same price as any of the surrounding dates. Seems to be a real sleeper.

[MBA101]

I have found it tough to find 1835's as well. Many were actually dated 1834 and 1836, and there may have only been less than 2,500,000 minted.

[lcoopie]

 

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