1800 H10C Libekty (Regular Strike)
Series: Draped Bust Half Dimes 1796-1805
PCGS MS66+
OBVERSE DETAIL
PCGS MS66
- PCGS #:
- 4265
- Designer:
- Robert Scot
- Edge:
- Reeded
- Diameter:
- 16.50 millimeters
- Weight:
- 1.35 grams
- Mintage:
- 40,000
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- 89.2% Silver, 10.8% Copper
- Auction Record:
- $152,750 • MS66 • 05-19-2015 • Stack's Bowers
Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More
| Survival Estimate | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 300 |
| 60 or Better | 20 |
| 65 or Better | 3 |
| Numismatic Rarity | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | R-6.4 |
| 60 or Better | R-9.1 |
| 65 or Better | R-9.8 |
| Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 4 / 7 TIE |
| 60 or Better | 5 / 7 |
| 65 or Better | 3 / 7 |
| Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 6 / 12 TIE |
| 60 or Better | 6 / 12 TIE |
| 65 or Better | 5 / 12 |
Condition Census What Is This?
|
#1 PCGS MS66+
As "MS64 to MS65". "The Norweb Collection, Part I," Bowers & Merena, October 1987, Lot 310 - $44,000. As PCGS MS66 #06250454. Heritage Auctions, August 2015, Lot 3981 - $111,625. Doily holder. As PCGS MS66+ #06250454. LM-3. Steel grey color with dappled russet toning throughout. |
|
#2 PCGS MS66
As NGC MS66 #957212-038. Jay Parrino (The Mint), sold privately in 3/1994; Claude E. Davis, MD; "The Foxfire Collection (Davis)"; Foxfire Collection sold, en bloc, to D. Brent Pogue, via Richard Burdick, October 5, 2004. As PCGS MS66 #21907679. "The D. Brent Pogue Collection," Stack’s Bowers & Sotheby’s, May 2015, Lot 1011 - $152,750; Dell Loy Hansen; "The D.L. Hansen US Type Set Complete (1792-1964)" (PCGS Set Registry). LM-3. Centered and well-struck. Translucent blue-green and champagne toning. |
#3 PCGS MS65+
|
#3 PCGS MS65+
"The Presidio Collection," Heritage Auctions, January 14, 2026, Lot 3067 - $115,900; "The Dime Box Half Dimes Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). LM-3. Golden green toning. Vertical copper-red toning on the reverse. |
| #3 PCGS MS65+ |
|
#6 PCGS MS65
"The Michael Riordan Collection," Goldberg Auctioneers, June 2002, Lot 2034; "The Oliver Jung Collection," American Numismatic Rarities, July 23, 2004, Lot 27 - $47,150; "The Madison Collection," Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2008, Lot 2745 - $80,500. LM-3. Gold and apricot toning. Strike through under Y of LIBERTY to star 8. |
The 1800 Draped Bust Half Dime, LIBEKTY Varieties
Of the five known die marriages that produced 1800 Draped Bust Half Dimes, three used on obverse with a broken R letter punch that turned LIBERTY into LIBEKTY. The most common of the three pairings associeted with this Red Book variety is the LM-3 (Base #4265; LM-3 #38603).
The Red Book attributes 16,000 coins of the 40,000 1800 half dimes to the LIBEKTY varieties, however, the PCGS Population Report does not align with these estimates, as LIBERTYs outnumber LIBEKTYs by a factor of 4:1.
The "Common" LM-3
Though classified as Rarity-4 (Very Scarce), it is significantly more attainable than its counterparts.
- The Obverse: Features the distinct "K" shape in LIBERTY. On later die states, you may notice small raised bumps near Star 1.
- The Reverse: Identifying this variety often requires looking at the word PLURIBUS.
Many LM-3 examples show die damage at the letters "BUS."The "Hair" Connection: Interestingly, the damage on the reverse die was so significant that it often affected the strike on the opposite side, resulting in weakened detail in Liberty’s hair.
The Rarity: LM-4 (The "Equal Arrowheads")
The LM-4 is an incredibly rare R-7 die marriage (only 2 to 3 known to exist). While it shares the "LIBEKTY" obverse with the LM-3, it is paired with a different reverse (Reverse B).
- Key Identifier: Unlike other varieties, the top three arrowheads in the eagle's claw are of equal height.
- Placement: The word STATES is positioned unusually high above the clouds.
This variety was the rarest in the series for decades until the recent discovery of the LM-5.
The "Missing Link": LM-5 (The Unique Discovery)
In 2022, PCGS identified a previously unknown 1800 "LIBEKTY" die marriage, designated as LM-5 (#906788). This is currently a unique specimen (PCGS AU Details - Holed), making it the rarest die marriage in the entire Draped Bust Half Dime series. The LM-5 shares the same reverse die as the 1801 LM-1 (#38605). Prior to its discovery, specialists assumed the LM-1 reverse was first prepared for the 1801 issues; however, we now know this reverse was introduced in late 1800, establishing the LM-5 as the 'missing link' in the emission sequence between 1800 and 1801.
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Regency XX Preview | Legend Rare Coin Auctions | January 26, 2017
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