1838-O Seated Liberty Half Dime

The story of the 1838-O

This was the first time New Orleans made the Seated Liberty Half Dime for circulation: 70,000 coins. In 1839 the figure was 1 million.

The other mint made far more that year: 1838 alone came to 2.2 million, roughly 32 for every 1838-O. If you're checking a pile of 1838 coins, the O is the one to look for. In the whole series, its mintage sits closest to the 1868 (88,600) and the 1864-S (90,000).

Of the 21 Seated Liberty Half Dimes New Orleans struck between 1838 and 1860, this is the scarcest. No Seated Liberty Half Dime of the 1830s had a smaller run.

More on the 1838-O

The 1838-O was the first half dime struck at the New Orleans Mint. Only 70,000 were made, all with the No Stars obverse. Philadelphia added stars that year, so the 1838-O is the only No Stars half dime with a mint mark.

The 1838-O is the key of the early Seated half dimes and a significant rarity in any grade. Most known coins are worn and many have problems such as cleaning or damage. Check the reverse for the O mint mark, confirm the obverse has no stars and read the date carefully. Because a genuine example is valuable, authentication by a grading service is a sensible step. Philadelphia struck 2,225,000 half dimes with stars that year. New Orleans did not strike again until 1839, when its 1,034,039 coins had stars. The 1838-O dime is the matching No Stars coin from New Orleans and was struck in much larger numbers.

No stars, then stars, then drapery (1837 to 1840)

Christian Gobrecht's Seated Liberty half dime appeared in 1837, the same year as the dime. The first coins have no stars on the obverse, just Liberty and the date. Philadelphia struck 1,405,000 of them, in Large Date and Small Date forms. In 1838 the new New Orleans Mint made its first half dimes, 70,000 coins that also lack stars. The 1838-O is the key of the early years and a significant rarity in any grade. Only these two issues, the 1837 and the 1838-O, carry the No Stars design, so both are popular type coins.

Philadelphia added thirteen stars around Liberty in 1838 and struck 2,225,000 coins with Large Stars and Small Stars. In 1839 Philadelphia and New Orleans made almost the same number, 1,069,150 and 1,034,039. Late in 1840 Robert Ball Hughes reworked Liberty, adding drapery at her left elbow. Both mints struck both styles that year. Philadelphia made 1,034,000 without drapery and 310,085 with it. New Orleans made 695,000 without drapery and 240,000 with it, which makes the 1840-O With Drapery the scarcer of the pair.

All half dimes of these years are 15.5 millimeters across and weigh 1.34 grams of 90 percent silver. They are tiny and easy to lose, so many survivors show bends, holes or harsh cleaning. Check for stars first, then look below Liberty's elbow for the drapery.

Elsewhere in US coinage in 1838

Three branch mints opened in 1838: New Orleans, Louisiana and the gold-only mints at Charlotte, North Carolina and Dahlonega, Georgia. The Liberty Seated design reached the quarter.