Seated
Liberty 50¢s rise By
Mark Ferguson
COIN VALUES Market Analyst - 12/1/2008
Values
for Seated Liberty half dollars, in all grades, are continuing
their steady climb higher. With a few exceptions, this rising
trend in values is gradual with no substantial jumps.
The Seated Liberty design type stretches from 1837 through
1891 and constitutes the largest design series in U.S. coins,
because it encompasses six denominations from half dimes through
dollars.
These days it is next to impossible to complete a collection
of all the varieties and denominations of Seated Liberty coins.
Therefore, many collectors tend to specialize in one or more
denominations of Seated Liberty coins. The larger denomination
coins are the most popular, but the small silver half dimes
and other denominations are surprisingly popular as well.
Because of the scarcity of many varieties and some regular
issues of Seated Liberty half dollars and the other denominations,
these collections take many years to build. This is just as
true for the circulated coins as it is for the Mint State
examples. Collecting Seated Liberty coins becomes a lifelong
endeavor for most collectors.
Therefore, it is not surprising that demand for these coins
is strong and steady. Since many people invest in what they
know, many collectors of Seated Liberty coins are not necessarily
stock market people. They are hard-working individuals who
feel very comfortable, especially these days, with what they
own – difficult-to-replace collections of Seated Liberty
coins.
Some people will never complete their collections. One reason
is rare coins like the 1853-O Seated Liberty, No Arrows and
Rays half dollar, with large letters used for the reverse
legend. Just three of these coins are known, ranging in grade
from Very Good to Very Fine. We now have them valued at $200,000,
$250,000 and $350,000.
Who knows what one of these coins will bring the next time
one surfaces for sale? Whether its next market appearance
is not for many years from now or happens in the near future,
the coin should still bring a high price, even in the current
economic environment. Million dollar-plus coins continue to
sell. And most collectors still seem to have good money to
spend.