Seated Liberty half dollars, minted from 1839 through 1891, are a relic from a time in the United States when the country was expanding westward, the East established itself as a hub of trade and commerce, and the North and South were engaged in a battle that nearly saw the nation get torn apart.
Perhaps the defining design of the decade, the Seated Liberty image was found on virtually all silver coinage of the era.
In fact, the Seated Liberty design persists as one of the longest-running coin designs in United States history!
NOTE: “Liberty Seated Half Dollar” is the traditional, formal numismatic name used by reference guides like the Red Book (A Guide Book of United States Coins), major grading services (PCGS and NGC), and auction houses. “Seated Liberty Half Dollar” is the more modern phrase commonly used by collectors, roll hunters, and coin dealers in everyday conversation.
The Seated Liberty Half Dollar Design
Liberty Seated half dollars were designed by Christian Gobrecht and were minted for over 5 decades.
Gobrecht’s famous Seated Liberty design also appears on these other coins during the middle of the 19th century:
5 Varieties Of Liberty Seated Half Dollars
Over the course of minting the Seated Liberty halves, slight variations were made to the overall design of this 90% silver coin.
5 different designs exist for the Seated Liberty half dollar:
- Variety 1 — 1839-1853; 1856-1866 (no motto located above the eagle)
- Variety 2 — 1853 (arrows on either side of the date; rays around the eagle)
- Variety 3 — 1854-1855 (arrows near date but no rays around the eagle)
- Variety 4 — 1866-1873; 1875-1891 (IN GOD WE TRUST above eagle)
- Variety 5 — 1873-1874 (arrows around the date)
Tips For Collecting Seated Liberty Half Dollars
These half dollars have long been a favorite coin among many coin collectors.
The Liberty Seated half dollar is generally collected as a type coin, though some coin collectors who are quite patient and have enough money to spend on the endeavor try to complete (or at least come close to finishing) date and mintmark sets in albums.
Seated Liberty halves are a staple of coin collectors who love 19th-century American coinage and are typically found in the albums, holders, and sets of type coin collectors.
The early 1860s Seated Liberty half dollars are highly popular among Civil War memorabilia collectors.
How Much Are Liberty Seated Half Dollars Worth?
For the above reasons and the fact that Seated Liberty half dollars are relatively scarce for the most part, these coins have increased in value over the decades.
Values begin at around $50 to $100 for Liberty Seated halves in lower, well-worn circulated grades (as long as they’re uncleaned and not damaged or discolored).
Uncirculated specimens can start at prices of over $500 to $700.
Here are values for the scarcer Seated Liberty half dollars:
- 1844-O doubled die — $700 to $10,000
- 1847 over 6 — $2,000 to $26,500
- 1850 — $450 to $2,500
- 1851 — $850 to $3,250
- 1852 — $500 to $3,000
- 1853-O without arrows — $200,000 to $425,000+
- 1855-S — $475 to $27,000
- 1866-S no motto — $700 to $9,000
- 1870-CC — $1,500 to $75,500
- 1871-CC — $700 to $25,000
- 1872-CC — $350 to $25,000
- 1873 no arrows & open 3 — $3,500 to $80,000
- 1873-CC with arrows — $300 to $10,000
- 1874-CC — $1,200 to $14,500
- 1877 over 6 — $300 to $10,000
- 1878-CC — $1,500 to $15,000
- 1878-S — $30,000 to $120,000
- 1879 — $400 to $1,500
- 1880 — $300 to $1,500
- 1881 — $300 to $1,500
- 1882 — $300 to $1,000
- 1883 — $375 to $1,500
- 1884 — $400 to $975
- 1885 — $400 to $975
- 1886 — $400 to $975
- 1887 — $500 to $975
- 1888 — $375 to $925
- 1889 — $300 to $925
- 1890 — $300 to $925
- 1891 — $75 to $700
*Values are for Seated Liberty half dollars in grade ranges of Good through Mint State 60.
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