View All 1842 Seated Liberty Half Dollar

1842 (O) Seated Liberty Half Dollar - Small Date, Rev. of 1839

Strike Type

Coin Details

Year

1842

Denomination

Half Dollar

Mint Mark

Strike Type

Regular Strike

Series

Seated Liberty Half Dollars 1839-1891

Designer

Thomas Sully/Christian Gobrecht

Mintage

203,000

Composition

90% Silver, 10% Copper

Weight

13.36g

Diameter

30mm

Edge

Reeded

Value Estimates

$1,267 - $62,626

Values as of May 2026, from published price guides and, in some cases, recorded auction sales. For most coins the range runs from a well-worn example (around G-4) to an uncirculated one, but individual coins can sell for more or less depending on grade, eye appeal and demand. Compare recent sales of similar coins for a closer estimate.

Auction Record

Price realized: $43,125
Sold: 1 January 2009
Grade: MS62
Auction house: Heritage Auctions

Description

Produced at the New Orleans Mint, the 1842 (O) Seated Liberty Half Dollar - Small Date, Rev. of 1839 is part of the Seated Liberty Half Dollars 1839-1891 series. The U.S. Mint produced 203,000 examples, making this the lowest mintage among 5 mint variants, representing only 3% of total production. 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 a heraldic eagle with shield on breast, olive branch and arrows in talons. 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. New Orleans's branch mint, active from 1838 through 1909, produced coins that carry a distinct historical significance tied to the antebellum and postbellum South. Estimated market value ranges from $1.3K to $63K depending on grade and condition. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 13.36 grams, 30.6 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Cataloged as PCGS #6238.