Seated Liberty coins

[CSdot]

As some of you know, I just added my first addition to my Type Set in 2014. The addition is my first Mint State Seated Liberty Dollar. While I do have some raw Seated Liberty Dollars, they are not Mint State, not even AU, so I have not spent a great deal of time looking at them carefully under magnification.

 

In looking at the Obverse of my new 1859-O Seated Liberty Dollar I think I see doubling around the shield. I pull out my 1861 Seated Liberty Half (MS-63) and I see that the sculptor merely added another line to create the illusion of depth around the shield, and that this is not an error of doubling.

 

However, I do notice some differences between the two denominations. For example, there are two (2) strands/locks of hair on Liberty's left shoulder (right side of the coin from the perspective of the viewer). On the Seated Liberty Dollar, both strands/locks have ringlets. On the Seated Liberty Half only one of the two strands/locks has a ringlet, with the other lock of hair just hanging over her left (right side of the coin when viewing) shoulder.

 

Next, I notice that Liberty has a strand/lock of hair on the other shoulder on the Seated Liberty Dollar, but that hair is not showing on the Seated Liberty Half.

 

I also think I see some differences in the draping of the sheet or robe over whatever it is she is sitting on (a chair, a throne, a rock?), but that may be more of a matter of one having a better strike.

 

Finally, I pull out my 1853 Arrows and Rays Seated Liberty Quarter (one of my favorite reverses on any coin) and the hair on Liberty looks more like the hair on Liberty from the Seated Liberty Dollar than the Liberty on the Seated Liberty Half.

 

Finding these little differences is part of the fun of adding something new to your collection.

[No+4Me]

I see you have photos of the coin in your type set registry. Very nice! It's fun to closely examine details of the old classic coins, there are a lot of variations, misplaced things, and so on. I was looking at a rather homely 1806 half I have today, and noticed for the first time a very out of place repunched T in LIBERTY and an extensive obverse die crack.

[DaveG]

Glad you like your new Liberty Seated Dollar and you seem to be really enjoying the ability to make your text bold.

 

You might like to know that Liberty Seated is the term that most of us prefer.

[Conder101]

The Seated Liberty is different on each denomination. Even with no size reference it is possible to identify the denomination of each coin from the differences in the obv design.

[physics-fan3.14]

I find the differences in design, even when it is supposedly the same, to be quite interesting. The Liberty Seated differences are more subtle (except the 20 cent, that one's pretty obvious). The Capped Bust denominations are quite distinct.

 

Anyone know if a similar thing goes on with teh Barber coins?