Silveric Matter

1838 Seated Liberty Half Dime The Seated Liberty Half Dime series was struck in 1837 thru 1873.  Christian Gobrecht designed the Seated Liberty Half-Dime.  The obverse was taken from a painting by Thomas Sully, first in 1835 for the silver dollar.  In 1837 the Seated Liberty was adapted not only for the half-dime, but also for the dime, quarter and even the half dollar.  The Gold Rush and the coming of the Civil War had a great effect on the price of silver and caused Congress to change the weight of these four denominations of coins to conserve silver.  There are differences in designs with these to distinguish the different weights and the amounts of surface area for these silver coins.  The ratio of silver changed to 90% silver and 10% copper just prior to this series. Toned 1869 Half Dime, PCGS PR64 (photo by Northern Lights Numismatics*) The silver Seated Liberty Half Dime had its weight changed twice, and has five design variations.  The half-dim...

1829 Half Dime Capped Bust Reverse The Silver Capped Bust Half Dime continued well into the 1800’s.  After not being minted since 1805 the Capped Bust silver Half Dime coin was issued in 1829 and minted through 1837.  This minting roughly coincides with the terms that Andrew Jackson served as President of the United States.  This silver coin was designed by William Kneases. It is 15.5mm in diameter (smaller than those before), weighing 1.35 grams containing 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper.  All 13,058,700 of these half-dimes were minted in Philadelphia with a reeded edge.  They are also the first United States half-dime to have its denomination inscribed on it. The obverse of the Silver Capped Bust Half Dime has a bust of Liberty, draped, fastened at the shoulder with a brooch, facing left wearing a cap with “LIBERTY” inscribed on its band.  The date is under the bust and seven stars encircle the left of the coin with six on the right. The reverse has a ‘na...

  Philadelphia Mint was completed in 1793.  Robert Scot’s the Chief Engraver design the Flowing Hair Half Dime was used to replace the Half Disme design.  These silver coins were also with a reeded edge, weighing 1.35 grams, 16.5mm in diameter and composed of 89.24% silver and 10.76%.  Even though these first strikes have the date 1794 on them they were actually 7,765 of these struck in March of 1795.  Then later in 1795 the next minting was run and 78,660 of the 1795 were struck finishing the series with a total of 86,416 being produced. On the Obverse Liberty head has ‘flowing hair’ and is facing right with “LIBERTY” encircling the top and fifteen stars (two states had joined the original thirteen) split on the left and right, with the date on the bottom. The reverse has a ‘small’ eagle with wings spread on a cloud surrounded by a wreath and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” encircling all of this.  There is no denomination indicated on these nor mint mark....

  The Draped Bust Half Dime was minted from 1796 to 1805 and designed by the United States Mint Chef Engraver Robert Scot. As with the prior silver half dimes it has a reeded edge and weighs 1.35 grams, is 16.5mm in diameter and composed of 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper. There is no denomination indicated on these either. In 1796 the obverse design for the Draped Bust Half Dime design were changed slightly, adapting a sketch of Liberty by Gilbert Stuart with Liberty having a bow around her head and a ‘Draped Bust’. The date underneath as before and “LIBERTY” aching above her along the rim. The rest of the outer area sounding the coin has thirteen to sixteen stars. There are a number of variations with the obverse design… 1) For 1796 there was a star for every state therefore 15 stars surrounded the coin. 2) There is a variation that has an overstrike of the “6” over the “5”. 3) Then there was a miss spelling on others of the non-overstrike variety: “LIBEKTY” substituting a “K” fo...

  1953 Roosevelt Silver Dime The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Silver Dime came into being on time for the remembrance of his birthday on January 30th, 1946.  The US’ only four term president had passed away the year before on April 12th, 1945.  The dime was selected mostly because FDR’s association with the “March of Dimes”.  FDR was struck by polio as an adult and managed to survive, however he was never able to walk on his own ever since. In 1926 he started the non-profit Georgia Warm Springs Foundation to allow others to hopefully find help from the springs therapeutic effects.  In 1938 he founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP).  During a fundraiser the celebrity singer Eddie Cantor had cracked a joke.  Cantor’s urging of the listeners to send their dimes to FDR was taken seriously.  During the following days and weeks 2,680,000 dimes were sent to the White House.  Quickly the “March of Dimes” replaced NFIP. The FDR is...

  1895 O Barber Dime The Barber Dime was minted from 1892 to 1916.  They got their name from the designer Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber.  These silver coins have a reeded edge and composed of 90% silver and 10% copper.  The diameter is 17.9mm with a weight of 2.5 grams. The obverse of the Barber Dime has a Liberty head on it wearing a cap, a laurel wreath, and a band with “LIBERTY” engraved on it.  The date is underneath the Liberty head and it has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” encircling the rest of the coin. The reverse has printed “ONE DIME” stacked in the center and a wreath with ivy, oak, corn, and wheat encircling it around the rim of the coin.  Its mint mark is under the wreath.  Philadelphia has no mint mark, New Orleans marked “O” (which closed for good in 1909), Denver with a “D” (opened in 1906), or San Francisco with an “S”. Sometimes the Barber Dime and the other Barber coin designs are often criticized for being lifted from the Morgan Dol...