1840-O No Drapery

The 1840-O is the third New Orleans dime, struck in a delivery of 1,175,000 pieces, all of them on the No Drapery hub. Where Philadelphia split 1840 production across early No Drapery and late Drapery subtypes after Robert Ball Hughes revised the design mid-year, New Orleans continued working the older No Drapery dies straight through the year and did not receive the modified Hughes hub until 1841. That operational lag turns the 1840-O into a single-subtype branch entry within a hub-transition year, which carries collector consequence. It is the last No Drapery dime struck at any mint, a fact that secures its place in any subtype-complete Seated dime cabinet. The mintmark O sits on the reverse below the wreath bow, as on the 1838-O and 1839-O entries.

Strike on the 1840-O follows the New Orleans pattern of the era. Branch dies often arrived from Philadelphia in already-fatigued condition, and the press operation in Louisiana ran at lighter pressure than the Mother Mint. The result is an issue with consistent softness at Liberty's head detail, the upper shield lines, and the wreath leaves, even on coins that grade VF or finer. Authentication centers on three points: the 2.67 g weight standard from the Mint Act of January 18, 1837; the clean elbow with no drapery, which aligns with the No Drapery hub; and confirmation that the mintmark O is original to the die rather than tooled or added. Counterfeit pressure is moderate compared with the 1838-O Key, but mintmark alteration of an 1840 Philadelphia coin is a known hazard. Most surviving examples grade Good through Fine, with VF and XF coins less common, AU coins scarce, and Mint State coins rare.

For a collector, the 1840-O is the closing No Drapery New Orleans entry and a logical pairing alongside its 1838-O and 1839-O subtype siblings. It also serves as a strong type-set choice for buyers who want a branch-mint No Drapery example at a price point well below the 1838-O Key. Acquisition strategy favors patience and a strong preference for problem-free original surfaces over high grade numbers; a clean VF with solid head detail routinely outranks a brightened XF or AU on long-term collector value. Auction availability is steady but never abundant, and the price floor has crept upward consistently over the last two decades. The Regular classification on the site reflects market availability rather than scarcity; specialist demand for the final-year No Drapery hub keeps prices firm. For the broader story of Gobrecht's design, the No Stars to Stars to Drapery transitions, and the series' production arc, see the Seated Liberty Dime series history.