Lot 43
1838 Seated Liberty Half Dime With Stars
Sold October 23, 2025
- Price realized
- $42
Price realized is the winning bid (hammer price) and excludes buyer’s premium.
About this lot
Estimated Value: $100-200
Origin: United States
Denomination: Half Dime
Year: 1838
Mint: Philadelphia
Grade: Estimated MS, Heavily Cleaned
Metal: Silver and Copper
Weight: 4.6g with the protector sleeve
Additional Description: The 1838 Seated Liberty Half Dime with Stars marks a significant evolution in American silver coinage, both artistically and historically. This issue introduced a key design modification: thirteen stars encircling Liberty on the obverse, replacing the plain field of the 1837 inaugural type. Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the Seated Liberty motif drew on classical ideals, depicting Liberty seated on a rock, holding a shield and pole, symbolizing national strength and vigilance. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, the 1838 issue reflects the Mint’s ongoing efforts to refine both form and function during a period of economic recovery and expansion. As one of the earliest star-design half dimes, it occupies an important place in the broader narrative of U.S. silver coinage, bridging the minimalism of early federal issues with the more complex designs that would define the second half of the 19th century.
Lot details
- Lot
- 43
- Closed
- October 23, 2025
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