Diagnostic Controls & Presets Civil War Numismatics
Diagnostic Forensic Readings
Forensic Attribution Diagnostic
Real-time metallurgical and die variety cross-examination verified against certified populations.
Technical Breakdown: Physics, Metallurgy & Die Diagnostics
Under CSA Superintendent William Elmore, 4 specimens were struck using an obverse Seated Liberty die and a custom CSA reverse die.
Scott planed off the eagle reverse of 500 genuine 1861-O half dollars, causing compression flatness on the Seated Liberty obverse when restruck.
Documented Benchmark Auction Records
The Newman-Green specimen, boasting phenomenal satiny prooflike fields and the distinctive 'ER' die break.
Sharp strike from genuine CSA die, faint remnants of the original 1861-O eagle under intense angled lighting.
One of the 12 clandestine Philadelphia strikes buried in Lovett's cellar until 1873.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the history of the 1861 Confederate Half Dollar?
In January 1861, the State of Louisiana seceded from the Union and seized the New Orleans Mint, turning it over to the Confederate States of America in March. In April 1861, CSA Treasury Secretary Christopher Memminger ordered dies prepared. An engraver named A.H.M. Peterson created a reverse die featuring a shield with 7 stars (representing the initial seceding states) topped with a Liberty cap, surrounded by cotton and sugar cane stalks. Exactly four original specimens were struck.
Who owned the four original 1861 CSA Half Dollars?
The four original coins were given to: 1. Confederate President Jefferson Davis. 2. CSA Treasury Secretary Christopher Memminger. 3. Chief Coiner B.F. Taylor. 4. Professor J.L. Riddell of the New Orleans Mint. Today, all four survive and are tightly held in museum and elite private collections.
What are the J.W. Scott Restrike Half Dollars?
In 1879, Chief Coiner Taylor revealed he possessed the original CSA reverse die and sold it to prominent New York coin dealer J.W. Scott. Scott purchased 500 genuine 1861-O Seated Liberty half dollars, planed off their eagle reverse designs, and restruck them using the original Confederate die on a drop press. He also struck 500 white metal tokens to celebrate the event.
How can you distinguish an original 1861 CSA half from a Scott restrike?
An original 1861 CSA half dollar has full relief on both the Seated Liberty obverse and the CSA reverse. A Scott restrike has a slightly flattened, compressed obverse because the coin had to be held flat while its original reverse was planed down and restruck.
What is the story of the 1861 Confederate Cent?
In early 1861, the CSA commissioned Philadelphia engraver Robert Lovett Jr. to design a one-cent coin. Lovett struck approximately 12 pattern cents in copper-nickel featuring Minerva on the obverse and a cotton/tobacco wreath on the reverse. Fearing arrest for treason by the Union, Lovett ceased production and hid the dies and coins in his cellar until 1873.
What are Bashlow Confederate Cent restrikes?
In 1961, for the Civil War Centennial, coin dealer Robert Bashlow purchased Lovett's original canceled dies and struck thousands of restrikes in gold, silver, bronze, and platinum. Because the dies had been defaced with chisel gouges, Bashlow restrikes are instantly recognized by deep jagged lines across the design.
How much is a genuine Confederate coin worth?
An original 1861 Confederate Half Dollar is worth between $1,000,000 and $1,500,000+. A J.W. Scott half dollar restrike sells for $15,000 to $35,000. An original Lovett cent is worth $150,000 to $250,000, while a Scott white metal token commands $2,500 to $4,500.