1843-O Large Letters

The 1843-O Large Letters half eagle is one of two reverse-legend varieties struck at the New Orleans Mint that year. The combined 1843-O production reached 101,075 pieces across both varieties, with the Large Letters issue traditionally credited as the larger of the two slices. The reverse die used for this variety carries a noticeably bolder font for E PLURIBUS UNUM, FIVE D., and the surrounding inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. New Orleans was still finding its footing as a gold-coining facility in the early 1840s, and the half eagle was the workhorse denomination that kept its presses busy.

Attribution rests entirely on the reverse. The Large Letters die shows tall, thick legend characters that nearly fill the space between the rim and the eagle. The Small Letters reverse uses a thinner, more compact font with visibly more open field. Many surviving Large Letters coins also show softness in the IC of AMERICA, a result of die lapping at the mint rather than wear, and that pattern can help confirm the variety on a worn example. Authentic pieces should weigh 8.359 grams and meet the .900 fine gold standard. Doug Winter rates the Large Letters as scarce to very scarce in collector grades, rare in About Uncirculated, and very rare in true Uncirculated condition; the Small Letters reverse is the rarer of the two varieties overall.

For collectors building a New Orleans half eagle set, the Large Letters is one of the more attainable 1843-O entries and a logical starting point before chasing the scarcer Small Letters. Problem-free EF and AU examples appear at major auctions a few times a year, while a CAC-stickered AU58 from the Essex Collection traded recently through specialist channels and a PCGS MS60 has been offered in the mid-five-figure range. Eye appeal varies: original green-gold coins with intact luster command real premiums over bright, recolored survivors. For deeper background on the type, see the Liberty Head Half Eagle series history.