Bust Dollar Half ????s

[errorist]

Whats the deal with the bust dollar halfs with doubled profiles? Are they worth more than the ones without the doubled profiles? Where the dies made that way or were the coins double struck?

[kryptonitecomics]

I owned one years ago and yes it was worth more money to the right collector. How much more......who can say. As for if this was something on the die or was the coin Double struck??? I couldn't tell on the one I owned by the profile and some of the stars were clearly doubled so I guess it could have been something on the die

[James_OldeTowne]

I recently sold one on eBay for nearly triple retail, but it was a very dramatic doubled profile - most dramatic that I've ever personally owned.

 

Most collectors (including myself) would not pay any premium for mild doubling, as it is common on bust halves, as well as large cents. But for something very dramatic, such as a heavily offset extra profile, or multiple profiles, you might expect a premium that could range anywhere from a few percent through 300%.

 

This falls into the same category as clashed dies. Though generally not worth a premium, some are dramatic enough that there are collectors who would pay extra. I can remember one 1814 with a very deeply impressed clashed-die that I got about a 50% premium on.

 

I believe the generally accepted explanation for the doubling is that the die was loose, and made offset impressions between the two strikings of the planchet. The die itself did not have the details doubled.

 

James

[errorist]

Fascinating as it makes for a very unique coin. Just the type I collect.