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Liberty Seated Half Dollars (1839-1891)
LIBERTY SEATED HALF DOLLAR
Reference Works
Over the years, half dollars have formed the focus for study for many scholars. Notable among these are Capt. J.W. Haseltine, who
published his Type Table, or list of die varieties, in 1881, and, especially, M.L. Beistle, a Shippensburg, PA manufacturer of cardboard
boxes and coin albums (his contribution as a pioneer maker of coin albums has been generally overlooked by the hobby), who in
1929 came forth with his magnum opus, a fine study of half dollars titled Register of United States Half Dollar Die Varieties an
Sub-Varieties. Both the Haseltine and Beistle works have been rendered obsolete by later studies, but are important as historical
items.
Today, key works in the series include these:
Fox, Bruce. The Complete Guide to Walking Liberty Half Dollars. Virginia Beach, VA: DLRC Press, 1993.
Lawrence, David. The Complete Guide to Barber Halves. Virginia Beach, VA: DLRC Press, 1991.
Overton, A1 C., edited by Donald Parsley. Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836. 3rd edition. Colorado Springs, CO: published by
the author, 1990.
Wiley, Randy and Bill Bugert. The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars. Virginia Beach, VA: DLRC Press, 1993.
Over the years, half dollars have formed the focus for study for many scholars. Notable among these are Capt. J.W. Haseltine, who
published his Type Table, or list of die varieties, in 1881, and, especially, M.L. Beistle, a Shippensburg, PA manufacturer of cardboard
boxes and coin albums (his contribution as a pioneer maker of coin albums has been generally overlooked by the hobby), who in
1929 came forth with his magnum opus, a fine study of half dollars titled Register of United States Half Dollar Die Varieties an
Sub-Varieties. Both the Haseltine and Beistle works have been rendered obsolete by later studies, but are important as historical
items.
Today, key works in the series include these:
Fox, Bruce. The Complete Guide to Walking Liberty Half Dollars. Virginia Beach, VA: DLRC Press, 1993.
Lawrence, David. The Complete Guide to Barber Halves. Virginia Beach, VA: DLRC Press, 1991.
Overton, A1 C., edited by Donald Parsley. Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836. 3rd edition. Colorado Springs, CO: published by
the author, 1990.
Wiley, Randy and Bill Bugert. The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars. Virginia Beach, VA: DLRC Press, 1993.
1-877-261-6869
From 1836 to 1839, two different types of Capped Bust halves with reeded edges were made, the first
1836-1837 with 50 CENTS on the reverse, and the second 1838-1839 with HALF DOL.
Liberty Seated half dollars made their debut in 1839 and were produced continuously until 1891,
including in several design variations. Next came Barber half dollars 1892-1915, the highly acclaimed
1916-1947 Liberty Walking motif, the short-lived 1948-1963 Franklin type, and, since 1964, the
Kennedy design.
1836-1837 with 50 CENTS on the reverse, and the second 1838-1839 with HALF DOL.
Liberty Seated half dollars made their debut in 1839 and were produced continuously until 1891,
including in several design variations. Next came Barber half dollars 1892-1915, the highly acclaimed
1916-1947 Liberty Walking motif, the short-lived 1948-1963 Franklin type, and, since 1964, the
Kennedy design.