Numismatic

1839 Liberty Seated Half Dime Good

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In 1839, the United States Mint produced a tiny silver treasure: the Liberty Seated half dime. Struck in Philadelphia, this five-cent denomination is composed of 90 percent silver, containing 0.0387 troy ounces of precious metal. Despite its small physical size, the coin showcases an intricate engraving that represents a pivotal era in American numismatic design. The front of the coin displays a seated figure of Liberty, holding a staff topped with a liberty cap in one hand while resting her other hand on a shield. This classic motif, created by Christian Gobrecht, became a defining image on American silver coinage during the nineteenth century. On the reverse, a simple yet elegant wreath wraps around the central denomination, which reads as "HALF DIME." This particular coin survives in Good condition, showing the honest wear of a piece that actively circulated in the decades leading up to the American Civil War. The legible inscriptions of "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and the 1839 date connect modern observers directly to the everyday commerce of the early republic.