1848 Seated Liberty Half Dime

About This Coin

The 1848 Seated Liberty Half Dime is a United States dime from the Seated Liberty Half Dimes 1837-1873 series — 12th of 37 years in the series. In 1848, coins were struck at the Philadelphia and New Orleans Mints with a combined mintage of 1.9 million. This ranks 22nd of 37 years by total mintage, above the series median of 1.6 million. The obverse features Liberty seated on a rock, holding a pole surmounted by a Phrygian liberty cap in her left hand and a shield inscribed LIBERTY in her right and the reverse displays an agricultural wreath enclosing the denomination. Minted during the age of Jacksonian democracy and the rise of the common man, as new branch mints opened in Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 1.34 grams, 15.9 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Struck two years after the 1846 key date, the lowest-mintage regular issue in the series. Across its variants, estimated values range from $33 to $3.1K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $26K in MS68 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by Robert Ball Hughes/Christian Gobrecht.