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SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLARS (1839-1891)
SPECIFICATIONS:
Designer: Obverse by Thomas Sully, modified by Christian Gobrecht and Robert Ball Hughes, executed by James Barton Longacre; Reverse by Christian Gobrecht

Diameter: 30 millimeters

Metal content:
Silver - 90%
Copper - 10%

Weight: 192 grains (12.4 grams)

Edge: Reeded

Mint mark: None (for Philadelphia) below the eagle on the reverse

 
 
 
 
NO MOTTO ON REVERSE (1839-1866)
ARROWHEADS AT DATE, RAYS ON REVERSE (1853 ONLY)

ARROWHEADS AT DATE (NO RAYS ON REVERSE) (1873-1874)

WITH MOTTO DESIGN RESTORED (1875-1891)

Images courtesy of Superior Galleries
SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLARS (1839-1891)
(ebay sponsored links)

NO MOTTO ON REVERSE (1839-1866)
1839
1840
1840-O
1841
1841-O
1842
1842-O
1843
1843-O
1844
1844-O
1845
1845-O
1846
1846-O
1847
1847-O
1848
1848-O
1849
1849-O
1850
1850-O
1851
1851-O
1852
1852-O
1853-O
ARROWHEADS AT DATE, RAYS ON REVERSE (1853 ONLY)
1853
1853-O
ARROWHEADS AT DATE, NO RAYS ON REVERSE (1854-1855)
1854
1854-O
1855
1855-O
1855-S
ORIGINAL DESIGN RESTORED (1856-1866)
1856
1856-O
1856-S
1857
1857-O
1857-S
1858
1858-O
1858-S
1859
1859-O
1859-S
1860
1860-O
1860-S
1861
1861-O
1861-S
1862
1862-S
1863
1863-S
1864
1864-S
1865
1865-S
1866 No Motto
1866-S
No Motto
WITH "IN GOD WE TRUST" ON REVERSE (1866-1891)
1866 With Motto
1866-S With Motto
1867
1867-S
1868
1868-S
1869
1869-S
1870
1870-CC
1870-S
1871
1871-CC
1871-S
1872
1872-CC
1872-S
1873 No Arrowheads at Date
1873-CC No Arrowheads at Date
1873-S No Arrowheads at Date    
ARROWHEADS AT DATE (1873-1874)
1873
1873-CC
1873-S
1874
1874-CC
1874-S
WITH MOTTO DESIGN RESTORED (1875-1891)
1875
1875-CC
1875-S
1876
1876-CC
1876-S
1877
1877-CC
1877-S
1878
1878-CC
1878-S
1879
1880
1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
1891

Images courtesy of David Akers Numismatics, Inc.
Images courtesy of Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc.

Images courtesy of Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc.

¬   Denomination

¬   Olive Leaf &
          Arrow Bundle

¬   Legend

 
Drapery ®

 
No Arrows ®

¬   Rays

 
Arrows ®

 
¬   Motto Scroll

 
¬   Mint Mark

Cherry Picker's List:

1839 The variety without drapery at Liberty's elbow is worth 2-10 times the variety with drapery.
1840 Struck at the New Orleans Mint using a reverse of 1838 without a mint mark. 
1842 The date comes in small and medium versions and the reverse comes with small and large letters.
1842-O These come with Small Date and Small Letters (Reverse of 1839) or Medium Date and Large Letters (Reverse of 1842).
1844-O The double date variety has the original date cut way too high into the die.
1845-O One scarce variety lacks the drapery at Liberty's elbow because of over polishing of the die.
1846 Look for the rare 1846/5 overdate.  Date sizes vary and one interesting variety had the 6 of the date punched into the die horizontally, then corrected.
1846-O Date sizes vary; the "Tall" date is the tougher one.
1847 Look for the very rare 1847/6 overdate.
1853-O None were reported to have been minted.
1855 Look for the rare 1855/1854 overdate.
1861-O Some of these were struck under the auspices of the Confederacy using U.S. dies - unfortunately, there's no way to tell them apart. 
1866 No Motto.
1870-CC This is a very rare and popular date.
1873 No Arrowheads at Date. Found with Open and Closed 3's.  All of the Proofs are Closed 3's.  The Open 3 is extremely rare.
1873-CC No Arrowheads at Date.
1873-S No Arrowheads at Date.
1877 Look for the rare 1887/6 overdate.
1878-S Extremely scarce in all grades.
1842-O                           
1844-O Double Date.     
1847/6                             
1849 Double Date.
1850                                
1851                                
1852                                
1855-S                            
1870-CC                       
1871-CC                         
1873 Open 3                  
1873-CC                      
1874-CC                         
1878-CC                       
1878-S                            
1879
1880
1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
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DATE/MINT MARK
GRADE
VALUE
NO DRAPERY
1839
G4
$50
DRAPERY AT ELBOW
1839
G4
$25
1840 Small letters
G4
$30
1840 Medium Letters
G4
$125
1840-O
G4
$30
1841
G4
$50
1841-O
G4
$25
1842 Small date, small letters
G4
-----------
1842-O Small date, small letters
G4
-----------
MODIFIED REVERSE, LARGE LETTERS
1842 Medium date
G4
$30
1842 Small date
G4
$25
1842-O Medium date
G4
$25
1842-O Small date
G4
$600
1843
G4
$25
1843-O
G4
$25
1844
G4
$25
1844-O
G4
$25
1844-O Doubled date
G4
$500
1845
G4
$30
1845-O
G4
$25
1845-O No drapery
G4
$30
1846 Medium date
G4
$25
1846 Tall date
G4
$25
1846/Horizontal 6
G4
$150
1846-O Medium date
G4
$25
1846-O Tall date
G4
$150
1847/6
G4
$1,800
1847
G4
$25
1848
G4
$40
1848-O
G4
$25
1849
G4
$35
1849 Doubled date, bold
G4
$1,800
1849-O
G4
$25
1850
G4
$250
1850-O
G4
$25
1851
G4
$300
1851-O
G4
$25
1852
G4
$400
1852-O
G4
$60
ARROWS AND RAYS
1853
G4
$30
1853-O
G4
$30
MODIFIED REVERSE, LARGE LETTERS
1853-O
G4
$125,000
RAYS REMOVED
1854
G4
$30
1854-O
G4
$30
1855/1854
G4
$75
1855
G4
$30
1855-O
G4
$30
1855-S
G4
$350
DRAPERY AT ELBOW
1856
G4
$25
1856-O
G4
$25
1856-S
G4
$50
1857
G4
$25
1857-O
G4
$25
1857-S
G4
$60
1858
G4
$25
1858-O
G4
$25
1858-S
G4
$25
1859
G4
$30
1859-O
G4
$25
1859-S
G4
$25
1860
G4
$25
1860-O
G4
$25
1860-S
G4
$25
1861
G4
$25
DATE/MINT MARK
GRADE
VALUE
1861-O Struck by CSA, obverse die crack
G4
$75
1861-S
G4
$25
1862
G4
$30
1862-S
G4
$25
1863
G4
$25
1863-S
G4
$25
1864
G4
$30
1864-S
G4
$25
1865
G4
$25
1865 Double die
G4
$60
1865-S
G4
$25
1866-S
G4
$100
1866 Unique
G4
-----------
MOTTO ABOVE EAGLE


1866
G4
$25
1866-S
G4
$25
1867
G4
$30
1867-S
G4
$25
1868
G4
$50
1868-S
G4
$25
1869
G4
$25
1869-S
G4
$25
1870
G4
$25
1870-CC
G4
$1,000
1870-S
G4
$25
1871
G4
$25
1871-CC
G4
$200
1871-S
G4
$25
1872
G4
$25
1872-CC
G4
$75
1872-S
G4
$30
1873 Closed 3
G4
$30
1873 Open 3
G4
$3,000
1873-CC Unique
G4
$200
1873-S Unknown
------------
-----------
ARROWS AT DATE
G4
$
1873
G4
$30
1873-CC
G4
$150
1873-S
G4
$75
1874
G4
$30
1874-CC
G4
$400
1874-S
G4
$35
MOTTO ABOVE EAGLE
1875
G4
$25
1875-CC
G4
$30
1875-S
G4
$25
1876
G4
$25
1876-CC
G4
$30
1876-S
G4
$25
1877
G4
$25
1877-CC
G4
$30
1877-S
G4
$25
1878
G4
$25
1878-CC
G4
$400
1878-S
G4
$17,000
1879
G4
$300
1880
G4
$300
1881
G4
$300
1882
G4
$350
1883
G4
$350
1884
G4
$400
1885
G4
$400
1886
G4
$450
1887
G4
$500
1888
G4
$300
1889
G4
$300
1890
G4
$300
1891
G4
$50
An example of a G4 (details) grade Seated Liberty Half
The listed values are for the grade G4, except the proofs, because Seated Liberty Halves are commonly found in this condition. Coins that are damaged, scratched or cleaned in any way will be less then values listed in price guides. Also, the below values are just examples of what the date has sold for, and not what a dealer would pay for the same date, mint or grade.
Carson City "CC" US Coins Starting Under $50
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Kennedy Head (1964-Date)