1847-O 50C Liberty Seated Half Dollar, DDO WB-104 NGC SE Ex.SS Republic

Rare variety—DDO WB-104—for the Liberty Seated half specialist!

On top of this Shipwreck Effect coin being a rare variety, the 1847-O issue overall is a scarcity to a rarity. Why is that? Because Liberty Seated half dollars were sent to China in massive numbers in trade for tea, silk, nankeens, and other goods desired by American consumers.

Let’s examine some compelling circumstantial evidence. In 1847, the New Orleans Mint struck 2,584,000 half dollars. PCGS has graded 282 original examples, while NGC has graded 131 of them. The total of 413 represents a miniscule 0.0158 percent of the total mintage, suggesting that an enormous amount of them indeed were shipped off to the Orient.

A chopmarked 1852-O Liberty Seated half dollar, providing evidence that New Orleans Mint halves were sent to China in trade. Photo: Heritage Auction Galleries.

In a 2011 article in Numismatic News, journalist Paul M. Green writes, “The clear suggestion is that long before the Trade dollar, Seated Liberty half dollars were being sent to China and that sort of export use may help to explain why half dollar mintages during the period remained higher than other silver denominations.”