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Updated Bust Half Dollar Collection with Redbook Variety Info

Started by gobust-migration,

41 posts in this topic

gobust-migration

gobust-migration

Posted
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Hope everyone is doing well this holiday season.

 

I was hoping to share a little bit of my Bust Half Dollar fever with the forum. In preparation for the NGC registry annual awards, many new photographs and detailed descriptions have been added to my Capped Half Dollar set listings. I had free time over the holidays, and I had been asked by several posters and other collectors on the forum to add detailed photographs. I've tried to structure the set not just with photographs, but also detailed provenance descriptions and Redbook and die variety information to provide an educational program for collectors not very familiar with the series.

 

I hope you'all enjoy it and that you consider the series. With 450 die marriages to discover, almost 100 redbook varieties and moderate cost for great collectible VF to XF specimens, collectors of all ranks can participate. Perhaps this will spark a person or two to look at these early struck by screw press federal mint products. There are wonderful clubs available to beginners and to serious students of the series. The first is the John Reich Collector Society (all levels from beginner to advanced and covers all early federal silver and gold coins). The second is the Bust Half Nut Club (advanced club specific to Early American Half Dollars from 1794 to 1836, collected by Overton varities [die marriages]. The BHNC membership requires demonstrated expertise and achievement in the series (need to demonstrate attribution skills and obtain either 30 pre-trub half dollar marriages or 100 total die marriages).

 

http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/SetGallery.aspx?PeopleSetID=39434

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x2rider

x2rider

Posted
Posted

O my.

Those are some stellar coins you have there. I am glad you've come forward to be able to talk about your set :-)

Couple of questions

What is your most favourite ?

What was the hardest to find apart from the 17/4 ?

Which one have you had the longest. ?

 

Thanks for sharing

Cheers Martin

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gobust-migration

gobust-migration

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Hi Martin,

I bought my first bust half in 1986.

 

The longest coin in this high grade set is from 2003. The 1807 Bearded Goddess was the first one that I obtained for this set. The 1807 Overton variety 111b has a large die crack from her chin to the drapery below. This is her Beard, its clearly the most famous die state in the entire series. In the 1807 111 prime earlier die sate no "beard" even as a fainest line is visible. The early die state is rare with about 5 or six known and command an even higher premium. The middle die state 111a has a thin die line form the chin and no extension of the die crack through Miss Liberty's eye. This is the least collectible of the three types. No mint state examples are known. Finest 111prime is XF45, 111a is AU55+ and 111b "Bearded" is AU55. How a die crack ever became so famous is another unusual story from the collecting world.

 

The toughest coin besides the 1817/4 that has 10 examples known (which was by the way the actual last coin Eliasberg needed to complete his set) is the 1812/8 Large 8. The 1812 Large 8 is an very, very tough coin to obtain in AU grade. The two finest known are only AU53. Nice VF or XF circulated examples are still in very high demand. The next roughest Redbook coin [not listed NGC Registry] is actually the 1812 single leaf. It is much rarer than the 1814 single leaf (intermediate) or the more common 1817 single leaf (I think STacks just sold a hoard of about fifty examples). The 1812 single leaf is extremely scare with only 10 to 12 examples known.

 

Have you ever owned a bust half? If not you should check them out at your next local coin show.

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TomB

TomB

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That's one heck of a set! With so many different styles of photography it can be tough to figure out which group is my favorite so I will stick with my favorite CBH (1817/3) though the doubled profile 1825 looks like a beast!

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delta

delta

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Magnificent photos, with expert comments of great value, thanks much for registering your prize-winning collection with NGC and for linking the collection to this forum.

 

Among the things attracting me to the capped bust halves is that during their years of mintage they were the highest denomination silver coin of the United States, no silver dollars made then, and also during those times the value of one of them was about equivalent to a full day's wages for a working man. A useful aspect is their lettered edges and peripheral stretch marks make them especially difficult to counterfeit well. We are now living through the bicentennials of those coins. T

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$ilverHawk

$ilverHawk

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Hi Martin,

I bought my first bust half in 1986.

 

The longest coin in this high grade set is from 2003. The 1807 Bearded Goddess was the first one that I obtained for this set. The 1807 Overton variety 111b has a large die crack from her chin to the drapery below. This is her Beard, its clearly the most famous die state in the entire series. In the 1807 111 prime earlier die sate no "beard" even as a fainest line is visible. The early die state is rare with about 5 or six known and command an even higher premium. The middle die state 111a has a thin die line form the chin and no extension of the die crack through Miss Liberty's eye. This is the least collectible of the three types. No mint state examples are known. Finest 111prime is XF45, 111a is AU55+ and 111b "Bearded" is AU55. How a die crack ever became so famous is another unusual story from the collecting world.

 

The toughest coin besides the 1817/4 that has 10 examples known (which was by the way the actual last coin Eliasberg needed to complete his set) is the 1812/8 Large 8. The 1812 Large 8 is an very, very tough coin to obtain in AU grade. The two finest known are only AU53. Nice VF or XF circulated examples are still in very high demand. The next roughest Redbook coin [not listed NGC Registry] is actually the 1812 single leaf. It is much rarer than the 1814 single leaf (intermediate) or the more common 1817 single leaf (I think STacks just sold a hoard of about fifty examples). The 1812 single leaf is extremely scare with only 10 to 12 examples known.

 

Have you ever owned a bust half? If not you should check them out at your next local coin show.

 

Thank you for sharing a very impressive collection. The photography is great but I must say I enjoy your set commentary and commentary in this thread even more.

 

I became interested in Capped Bust Half Dollars 2 years ago. Edgar Souders "Bust Half Fever" hooked me. This series has an incredible history. The die pairings and emission sequences are a fascinating trail to follow. I currently have 63 slabbed and 16 raw examples.

 

Keep posting and sharing your knowledge.

 

Carl

 

 

 

 

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gobust-migration

gobust-migration

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Hey Carl,

 

That's already 79 examples, great work. If you are ever interested in joining the Bust Half Nut Club let me know. We have members on most parts of the US. The requirement is that you obtain 100 die marriages. This tough hurdle brings in collectors who are really focused on the series, since fewer die marriages in total are required for a Redbook set. Although, several members have focused on Redbook sets. We typically meet twice per year at the summer ANA and the winter FUN show. There is always an open meeting of the club that allows anyone with an interest to learn more. Usually, someone does an educational session.

 

Nice to meet another one developing bust half fever. I'm afraid I'm near terminal with it.

 

Chuck

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x2rider

x2rider

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Thanks for the reply Chuck

. I have a few slabbed but most raw.

 

I think the hunt is probably what most attracted me to them . The small changes in position of a T makes all the difference .

Some of the other guys on here have some really nice collections underway and its always a pleasure to see another Photo posted on the boards ..

Thanks again :)

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gobust-migration

gobust-migration

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Hi Carl and Martin,

 

New site just developed by the Bust half Nut Club to provide basic information and references on the series for anyone that is interested in joining. Also provides contact information for anyone who might want to join at some time in the future.

 

http://busthalfnutclub.org/Home_Page.php

 

Enjoy,

Chuck

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$ilverHawk

$ilverHawk

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Hi Carl and Martin,

 

New site just developed by the Bust half Nut Club to provide basic information and references on the series for anyone that is interested in joining. Also provides contact information for anyone who might want to join at some time in the future.

 

http://busthalfnutclub.org/Home_Page.php

 

Enjoy,

Chuck

 

Thank you, Chuck. That is a good resource to have access to. I've also been using Dave Rutherford s site (busthalfprices.com) and found it was very helpful and Edgar Souders RAG DVD is a very good source of Bust Half info.

 

I look forward to surpassing 100 die marriages and being qualified to submit a membership request to the BHNC.

 

Carl

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physics-fan3.14

physics-fan3.14

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I look forward to surpassing 100 die marriages and being qualified to submit a membership request to the BHNC.

 

Carl

 

I'm a third of the way there (currently have 32!) Can't wait until I'm worthy to join that exclusive club.

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jimjum12

jimjum12

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What a fantastic batch of coins. What an accomplishment. GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

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Keigwin

Keigwin

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The 1814/3 is a superb coin. I was lucky to have it in my possession for several days, and to shoot it and many more for Sheridan Downey's Aug 2012 auction.

 

It is even more beautiful in hand. My heart raced each time I picked it up. This CBH has it all. Beautiful color, lovely surfaces, amazing luster. It is drop dead gorgeous.

 

Here's a somewhat larger image, 600x600. If you would like something even bigger (as large as 3200x3200!) or presented differently, please PM me. If you bought other coins from Sheridan since the 2011 ANA at Chicago I have those originals as well and would be happy to pass them along.

 

What an amazing collection!

Lance.

(edit typo)

 

757b3cca.jpg9ff9b155.jpg

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gobust-migration

gobust-migration

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Thanks Lance and others for all your comments,

 

Your photgraphy that you did for Sheridan is amazing. The coin looks just like your photograph. You were able to bring up the contrast to show all the details of what I consider to be one of the best struck 1814/3 Halves in high grade that exists. I was lucky to get it, I have assumed without knowing that the buyer earlier this year at the Goldberg sale perhaps tried to cross it and then decided to sell it.

 

Sheridan was convinced the stike and luster put this coin #2 behind an NGC MS66 on the census list for this tough, early overdate.

 

Keep up the excellent photography work, its makes things more enjoyable for all of us.

 

Chuck

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gobust-migration

gobust-migration

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Just posted my most recent addition. I was pleased about being awarded an NGC Registry Award.

 

The new coin comes from the Eliasberg Collection orginally and was considered one of the four or five best eye appeal coins when it was in the Kaufman set that had sold to the collector using the pseudoname "Joseph C. Thomas".

 

Photobucket

 

Photobucket

 

 

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