Coin Highlights:
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Date: 1901
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Mint: New Orleans (O mintmark)
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Denomination: 50 Cents (Barber Half Dollar)
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Designer: Charles E. Barber
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Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
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Weight: 12.5 grams
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Diameter: 30.6 mm
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Grade: NGC AU Details – Saltwater Damage
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Mintage: 4,524,000
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Edge: Reeded
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Mintmark Location: Below the eagle on the reverse
Obverse:
Head of Liberty facing right, wearing a Phrygian cap and laurel wreath.
Inscriptions: LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and date 1901
Reverse:
Heraldic eagle with shield, arrows, and olive branch.
Inscriptions: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and HALF DOLLAR, with mintmark “O” beneath the eagle.
Historical Significance:
The Barber Half Dollar series (1892–1915) was struck during a time of major industrial and social change in the United States. The 1901-O issue, while not a key date, becomes a numismatic curiosity when recovered from a saltwater environment — typically the result of a sunken ship, coastal hoard, or natural disaster. Coins like this offer collectors a tangible connection to both history and mystery.
