1842 Seated Liberty Half Dollars : Small Date - Large Letters

What This Coin Looks Like (Obverse, Reverse, Mint Mark Location, Special Features, etc.):

One major variety of the 1842 Seated Liberty Half Dollar features the reverse of 1842 which has large letters and also a small date on the obverse of the coin.

1842 was a transitional year for the designs of both the obverse and reverse of the seated liberty halve. The rarest and most valuable varieties feature the older 1839 design on the reverse of the coin. This design features much smaller letters in the words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "HALF DOL.". Later on that year: The newer 1842 reverse was introduced and included much larger letters. The difference between the Small Letters vs Large Letters is depicted below in the example comparison image:



There was also a change in the style and size of the date on the obverse of the coin. Earlier coins had a smaller date with smaller numbers whereas the newer design featured larger numbers in the date (known as Medium Date). The difference between the Small Date vs Medium Date is depicted below in the example comparison image of the coins:

Coin Value Chart: Typical Coin Prices, Values and Worth in USD based on Grade/Condition

Good (G-4)	Very Good (VG-8)	Fine (F-12)	Very Fine (VF-20)	Extremely Fine (EF-40)	About Uncirculated (AU-50)	Uncirculated (MS-60)	Uncirculated (MS-63)	Proof (PR-63)
$85	$134	$186	$278	$429	$544	$1,552	$4,522	-

USA Coin Book Estimated Value of 1842 Seated Liberty Half Dollar (Small Date - Large Letters Variety) is Worth $134 in Average Condition and can be Worth $1,552 to $4,522 or more in Uncirculated (MS+) Mint Condition. Click here to Learn How to use Coin Price Charts. Also, click here to Learn About Grading Coins. The Melt Value shown below is how Valuable the Coin's Metal is Worth (bare minimum value of coin). Click here to see the Melt Value of every US Coin.


MELT VALUE: $12.19