Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ November 2023 auctions were filled with wonderful coins, and the sale was particularly strong in mid-19th century classic U.S. coins.

Among them, one of four known 1853-O Seated Liberty half dollars without arrows at the date or rays on the reverse, graded Fine 12 by Professional Coin Grading Service, sold for $228,000 at the firm’s Rarities Night session.

It was formerly in the collection of Baltimore financier Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. and was the second-to-last coin acquired by Eliasberg, with the final one being the unique 1873-CC No Arrows at Date Seated Liberty half dime.

The half dollar dies were sent to the New Orleans Mint before the Feb. 21, 1853, date that authorized the Arrows and Rays coinage carrying the design change alerting the public to new standards for silver coinage.

It’s unknown how many 1853-O half dollars were actually struck, but only the four are known.

The November price improved on the $154,000 it sold for at Bowers and Merena’s 1997 sale of Eliasberg’s coins.

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