1849 over 8 over 6 (?) half dime

[BillJones]

Last week a discussion about this piece came up ATS, I and mentioned that I had one. I have now located the piece and got a close-up picture of it.

 

So here is the piece for your review and discussion. And yes, it is a yucky coin that has been abused by coin dip and retoned, but not by me.

 

 

 

[michael]

to quote ron guth

 

Ron Guth: The 1849/8 Half Dime, like the 1849/6, is a controversial variety. Some experts, such as the authors of the CherryPickers' Guide, believe the traditional 1849/8 variety (FS-301) is actually a recut date, 1849/48. Less convincing is FS-302, which is a tossup as to whether it is an 1849/8 or an 1849/6, or even an 1849/8/6.

 

Either way, there is a clear undertype on both varieties, and they are both very popular and highly collectible varieties.

 

 

[BillJones]

Here are photographs of the whole coin. They look different because it's a different camera and different lighting.

 

 

The close-ups were taken with a Dino Light camera which is one of the most aggravating devices I have ever owned. It and Windows 7 are like oil and water. They can only be mixed for a brief while before the camera heads into another round of its usual catatonic state. My wife, who is the family expert with computers, has messed with this thing with limited success. Some people by these things; I swear at it.

[CaptHenway]

Very obvious 1849/6, in my opinion.

TD

[BillJones]

Very obvious 1849/6, in my opinion.

TD

 

I think that it's over 6 also. That's as close as I will ever get to owning an 1846 half dime.

[RWB]

Inverted "9" -- much like the 1809/inv 9 half cent.

[BillJones]

Inverted "9" -- much like the 1809/inv 9 half cent.

 

Maybe not. In 1809 the dates were dropped in one digit at a time. By the 1840s dates were entered four digits at a time. If this what you believe it to be, it would have to like that overdate 1851 over 81 large cent variety.

 

The half dime mintage was certainly low enough in 1846 that there could have been a perfectly good 1846 dated die left lying around that could have been recycled with an overdate.

[RWB]

Four-digit logotypes were not used consistently -- 2- and 3-digit were more common. Also, the engravers commonly strengthened features of working dies by repunching the failing elements - it was cheaper and faster than making a new die.

 

However, the curve of the undertype does not appear to be a good match for an inverted 9 - or a "6". Detailed images taken at multiple angles might help.

[CaptHenway]

Take a look at the shapes of the 1846 "6" and the 1849 "9." Not the same when inverted.

[RWB]

Maybe it's "extroverted" ?