1843

The 1843 Seated Liberty Half Dollar marks the high-water mark of Philadelphia production for the type's opening decade. A reported delivery of 3,844,000 pieces stands as the largest Seated Half mintage to that point in the series, nearly double the prior year's 2,012,764 and more than twelve times the modest 310,000 figure of 1841. The jump reflects a year in which the Mother Mint was running silver at full pressure, with demand for circulating half dollars heavy enough to justify sustained die production across the calendar. Christian Gobrecht's seated figure carries the matured drapery treatment that had settled in by 1840, and the reverse retains the unmotto eagle that anchors every issue of the pre-1866 design phase. The standard Reverse of 1842 with the larger letter-size punches, introduced mid-1842, is the only reverse hub used for the year.

Strike quality tracks the workmanship typical for early-1840s output: generally adequate, with softness occasionally turning up on the high points of Liberty's head, on the stars opposite the figure, and on the eagle's leg feathers. Survivor distribution leans heavily into the Very Good through Extremely Fine band, the territory where circulation parked most of the population. About Uncirculated coins are available with patience, and Mint State pieces appear regularly enough to satisfy type-set buyers, though survivors thin noticeably above MS63. The Wiley-Bugert reference recognizes several die marriages for the date, including pairings showing repunched-date doubling at the base of the digits; attribution at the certified-grade level remains uncommon and is mostly a specialist pursuit.

For collectors, the 1843 is one of the easiest single-coin selections in the No Motto era and a natural fit for a type set seeking an early-1840s representative. Most buyers settle on a problem-free VF or XF, where surface originality matters more than absolute grade; AU and lower Mint State coins are obtainable without a long search, and choice MS65 pieces require a more selective hunt. Auction supply is steady year over year. For background on design evolution and mint sequencing, see the Seated Liberty Half Dollar series history.