Seated Half Dollar design question

[Cladiator]

Why did the New Orleans mint produce a No Drapery half dollar in 1845? All of the coins had drapery (except the 38) before the the 1845O and they all had drapery after. You even have both No Drapery and Drapery 1845's from New Orleans. It's just this one coin from one mint well after the series had begun, makes no sense at all to me. What gives?

[Cladiator]

nevermind, someone explained it to me

[123cents]

nevermind, someone explained it to me

 

I glad they did because I didn't know the answer.

[DaveG]

As was mentioned Across The Street, the missing drapery is due to excessive die polish, not a design change.

 

Interestingly, Wiley & Bugert (The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars, 1993) make these comments about 1845-O halves missing drapery:

 

"Many 1845-Os can be found with little or no drapery and foot support. This was due to excessive die polishing, not due to a design change (as in 1839 No-Drapery), and should not command a premium price. No separate WB listings [of different varities] are given for no-drapery die states. See Chapter 2 section on drapery die states."

 

That section on die states begins: "With much unwarranted 'to-do' and overpricing of the 1845-O no drapery half dollars. . ."

 

W&B list nine varieties, most of which involve recut, doubled or tripled dates.