Q. David Bowers
1841 Fine $1.20.
1842 Fine $1.20.
1843 About Fine $1.25.
1844 Fine $2.75.
1844 Nearly Fine $1.30.
1845 VG $1.35.
1845 VG $1.80.
1846 VF $1.30.
1847 Good $1.20.
1848 VG $1.40.
1849 Fine $1.35.
1850-O Slightly double cut. EF $1.66.
1853 Fine $1.60 ..
1853 VF. A few light nicks. $2.05.
1854 VG $3.00.
1855 EF; Br. $5.70.
1857 VG $2.60.
1858 Br. Proof and about-perfect. $32.50.
1859-O VG $1.60.
1859-S Light nicks in field. EF, with much brilliancy. $4.65.
1860 Fine $1.65.
1860-O VF $2.25.
1862 EF $1.50.
1862 Proof. Small nick on edge. $2.55.
1863 Fine $1.30.
1863 Proof, lightly hay marked. $2.30.
1864 VF $1.40.
1864 Proof $2.65:
1865 VG $1.25.
1865 Proof $2.00.
1866 Proof, nearly perfect. $2.10.
1867 Br. Proof $1.95.
1868 Proof, a trifle short of perfect. $1.70.
1869 Proof struck; extra fine; little nicks in field. $1.30.
1869 Proof, very Br. $1.60.
1870 EF $1.25.
1871 Fine $1.20.
1872 Proof, not in full brilliancy. $1.30.
1873 Good $1.20.
1873 Proof $2.40.
Ben G. Green's Sale the Loer Collection, May 13, 1910. Offered was a: set of Liberty Seated half dollars of average quality and bereft of rarities. The description of an old-time cabinet such as this helps dispel today's notion that generations ago our numismatic predecessors had nothing but gems in their collections. Indeed, the opposite is true, and such later twentieth century sales such as Carter, Fairfield, Anderson-Dupont, Ostheimer, Norweb, et al. had, on balance, far finer pieces. In the early days, emphasis was not on quality!
1840 VG. Scarce. $1.30.
1841 Good $1.15.
1842 Edges slightly dented. VG $1.00.
1843 Fine $1.20.
1844 VG. Scarce. $1.30.
1845 VF. Traces of proof surface. Scarce. $1.50.
1846 Slight edge dents. Fine $1.05.
1846-O About Fine. First year of branch mint dollars. $1.30.
1847 VG $1.50.
1848 Scratch on obverse. VF. Scarce. $1.45.
1849 Nearly Fine $1.30. ,
1856 VF. 3rd in rarity from Philadelphia Mint. $3.50.
1850-O Fine $1.60. '
1853 Obverse edge dented. Fine $1.35.
1854 Lightly scratched below date. EF; Very rare. $9.00.
1855 VF. Rare. $7.00.
1856 Good. Scarce. $1:50.
1857 Semi-Proof $3.80.
1859 Slight edge nick. Impaired Proof $1.60.
1859-O Very Fair. $1.00.
1859-S Fine. Rare, and seldom offered. $3.45.
1860 Proof. Not in full brilliance. $1.40.
1860-O Fine $1.15.
1861 VF $1.45.
1862 Proof. Rare. $2.10.
1863 Fine. Scarce. $1.65.
1864; Proof. Scarce. $1.65.
1865 Fine. Scarce. $1.30.
1866 Proof. Scarce. $1.35.
1867 Fine $1.25.
1868 Proof $1.40.
1869 Slight abrasions. Fine $1.05.
1870 Obverse chafed. Fine $1.15.
1870-CC Good. Rare. $1.45.
1871 EF, trifling abrasions. $1.15.
1872 Proof $1.40. .
1872-CC VG. Rare. 3,150 coined. $3.00.
1873 Proof, cleaned. Last year of "daddy" dollar. $1.30.
Thomas L. Elder's sale of the Peter Mouger Collection, September 1-3, 1910, included a truly memorable offering of Liberty Seated dollars of the early years. Apparently, Elder was not certain of the finish of the 1840 and 1844 dollars, but, judging from the prices realized, bidders considered them. to be business strikes.
1840 Proof, or Proof surface. Scarce. $3.25.
1841 Uncirculated, mint lustre, only slight evidences of tarnish. $1.70.
1842 Uncirculated, Proof surface, with full lustre. Choice. $1.60.
1843 VF $1.30.
1844 Proof, or Proof surface. Scarce date. $1.25.
1845 Uncirculated, partly iridescent. $2.50.
1846 Uncirculated, partly bright, with some Proof surface. $2.25.
1847 Proof. Extremely rare. $17.00,
1847 EF $1.50