SD-10c-1838-01 Split Die

Description

Among the most dramatic die failure types documented in early American coinage, this median split die designated SD-10c-1838-01 records a fracture on the 1838 Seated Liberty Dime — No Drapery, Small Stars variety, one of the earliest issues in the Seated Liberty Dime series that would span from 1837 through 1891. A split die occurs when the die fractures along a plane that bisects its striking face, creating a visible separation line across the coin's surface where the two halves of the die meet imperfectly. The "median" designation indicates the split runs approximately through the center of the die rather than at an eccentric position. The 1838 Seated Liberty Dime represents the transitional early phase of Christian Gobrecht's design, specifically the No Drapery sub-type with Small Stars — a short-lived variety that preceded the addition of drapery to Liberty's arm and the enlargement of the surrounding stars. Die technology in the late 1830s was still in a relatively early stage of development, with die steel metallurgy that could not match the performance standards achieved in later decades. Split dies from this era document the limitations of period die manufacturing, where the combination of high striking pressures and die steel that may have contained internal flaws or inconsistent hardening could result in catastrophic fracture through the die's mid-section. As the sole documented split die for this date, the -01 designation marks a singular known instance of this specific failure mode, though additional examples may exist unrecognized in collections. The No Drapery, Small Stars configuration adds a design attribution dimension that intersects with the die variety classification, situating this split die within a specific and brief production window of the Seated Liberty series.

Attribution History

• Discovered by 2013Bruce on ebay
• Cross reference: none. Median split die.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References