1846 Medium Date

The 1846 Philadelphia Seated Liberty Half Dollar was struck across three distinct date logotypes: Medium Date, Tall Date, and the dramatic 6 over Horizontal 6 blunder. The Medium Date represents the standard, more frequently encountered configuration for the year, employing the same date punch style used on the bulk of Philadelphia coinage before the larger numerals appeared later in the production cycle. With a combined Philadelphia mintage of 2,210,000 shared across the three subtypes, this issue sits comfortably in the regular tier of the series, yet the multi-variety structure rewards collectors who look closely at numerals before grading anything else.

Strikes from this delivery typically arrive with reasonably full stars and crisp shield lines, though the obverse can show softness on Liberty's head and the central shield rivet. Surviving examples cluster heavily in circulated grades, with Fine and Very Fine the most common encounters; Mint State pieces exist but turn scarce above MS-63, and original luster often appears slightly subdued by die wear from the long production run. Attribution rests on the date numerals themselves. The Medium Date uses a shorter digit logotype: the 4 carries its right-side and bottom serifs nearly touching, the 8 sits perceptibly lower than its neighbors, and the upper loop of the 6 shows a tighter gap than the lower. Wiley-Bugert catalogs several Medium Date marriages (WB-101, WB-102, and the WB-10 doubled-die obverse), with verifiable die markers including light obverse clash residue beneath Liberty's right arm on certain late states.

For type collectors building a No Motto Seated half representative, the Medium Date is the most practical 1846 Philadelphia choice: readily available, fairly priced through mid grades, and clean enough to source without major problems. Date specialists pursuing all three subtypes generally start here before chasing the scarcer Tall Date and the rare 6/Horizontal 6 blunder die. To place this issue within the broader twin-mint production story, see the Seated Liberty Half Dollar series history.