E-Gobrecht
Volume 22 Issue 8 • Whole Number 259 • August 2026
Uniting collectors of Liberty Seated coinage since 1973
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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National Officers President
Leonard Augsburger leonard_augsburger@hotmail.com
Vice President
Craig Eberhart craig@eberhart.us
Secretary
Jeff Pritchard PO Box 10771, Bainbridge, WA 98110 jjpsr2@gmail.com
Treasurer
Mike Rupert oldebullion@insight.rr.com
National Positions The Gobrecht Journal Publication
Greg Johnson (Editor/Publisher) lscc@lsccweb.org
E-Gobrecht Monthly Newsletter Michael Fleming (Editor) egeditor1891@gmail.com E-Gobrecht Layout Artist Maria Fanning New Membership Chairman Joe Casazza jsazza236@gmail.com
Education Director
John Frost john.frost@doubledimes.com
Advertising Director Jeff Pritchard jjpsr2@gmail.com
Team Leader - Regional Directors Ken Otto kenotto53@gmail.com
Director - Southern Region
John Lundsten john.lundsten@yahoo.com
Director - Northeast Region
Joe Casazza (email above)
Director - Western Region
[Open Position]
Director - Central Region
Dennis Fortier ricajun@msn.com
E-Gobrecht August 2026
Liberty Seated Collectors Club Mission To encourage, promote, and dispense numismatic knowledge of Liberty Seated coins; to cultivate fraternal relations among its members and all those interested in the science of numismatics.
LSCC website: www.lsccweb.org LSCC email address: lscc@lsccweb.org LSCC Membership Information: Dues are bargain priced at $30 per year and include 3 packed issues of The Gobrecht Journal, an award winning numismatic publication printed in glossy, full color. To join the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, for The Gobrecht Journal mailing address changes, or for other membership questions, please correspond with Jeff Pritchard, LSCC Secretary listed on this page. Articles, comments, or advertisements for publication in The Gobrecht Journal magazine may be addressed to Greg Johnson, The Gobrecht Journal Publication Editor. Submissions, correspondence, information and comments for this digital publication (E-Gobrecht) are actively encouraged from its subscribers and may be sent to Michael Fleming, E-Gobrecht Publication Editor. To be added as a “free” subscriber to E-Gobrecht or removed from the mailing list or to change your email address, please send an email message indicating your preference in the subject line to: egeditor1891@gmail.com.
Wanted: Submissions for this newsletter! Please consider submitting something for print. It need not be elaborate; it can be something as simple as a short note on a favorite coin, variety, neat find, happening at a coin show or local club, Liberty Seated coinage at auction, etc. If you are interested in it; rest assured, others will be too! Sharing information is a goal of this newsletter and you need not be an experienced writer to submit material of interest to others. “This is your monthly digital publication. It is what you make of it!” Please be sure to quote the E-Gobrecht and the LSCC as its contents are not copyrighted. Use its contents freely.
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht August 2026
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Stepping back in time to a bygone era of the Liberty Seated coin design period, both far and wide, and a little before & after...
Inside this issue
Welcome to the following new LSCC members this month: #3100 #3101 #3102 #3103 #3104 #3105 #3106
President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 By Len Augsburger Pittsburgh Restaurant Reviews for the ANA Crowd. . . . . . . . . . 5 By Michael Fleming, LSCC #2995
There are currently 1,485 active subscribers to E-Gobrecht and counting, including 350 local coin clubs across the country.
Attribution Exercise – The Solution!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 By Len Augsburger, LSCC #1271 Regional News: The ANA World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh is Approaching! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 By Ken Otto, Regional Team Director, LSCC #2674 Hunting for a Legend: the 1875-S ‘Micro S’ Half Dollar 1875-S ‘Micro S’ Half Dollar – Request for Information . . . . . 11 By Dennis Fortier, LSCC #2016
Cover image: Our theme at the ANA this year is Liberty Seated Proof Coinage. Accordingly, please enjoy this marvelous 1844 10c, PCGS PR65 CAC, Ex. Pittman, Kaufman, Gardner. Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
Great News – Online Donations Now Accepted!. . . . . . . . . . . . 12 By Jeff Pritchard, LSCC #1759 Seated Fest III Approaches! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 By Len Augsburger, LSCC #1271
The E-Gobrecht is an award winning informal electronic publication of the Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC). The LSCC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the attributions of the Liberty Seated U.S. Coin series. The LSCC provides the information contained in this “electronic” e-mail newsletter from various sources “free of charge” as a general service to the membership and other subscribers with a numismatic interest. You do
E-Gobrecht’s
22nd Year! 2004–2026
not have to be a LSCC member to benefit from this newsletter; subscription to the E-Gobrecht is available on a complimentary basis to anyone. All disclaimers are in effect as the completeness and/or accuracy of the information contained herein cannot be completely verified. Contact information for LSCC and this publication can be found on the page 2.
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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E-Gobrecht August 2026
President’s Message By Len Augsburger
Welcome to the August E-Gobrecht, which we are publishing this month just prior to the ANA convention in Pittsburgh. Many thanks to Michael Fleming and Maria Fanning, who produce our monthly musings on all things Liberty Seated. Our annual meeting at the convention will take place Thursday, August 27, at 9 AM in Room 323. Our featured speaker will be John Dannreuther, who recently published his massive treatise on Liberty Seated proof coinage. Apropos of the theme, the LSCC table on the bourse floor (Booth 1840) will feature a selection of Liberty Seated proof coinage on exhibit. If you have a few pieces to share, here is an exhibition opportunity! The LSCC meeting will also feature officer reports, award presentations, and the ever-popular club raffle, for which we’ve attracted some enticing donations, including coins. Dennis Fortier will be at the entrance door to distribute raffle tickets prior to the meeting. Our dealer members will be out in full force on the show floor, and we encourage you to patronize them, especially early in the show, when all the “good stuff ” seems to come out. Do not pass on coins that you really need – they might not be available upon a second visit!
Among the convention exhibits, the U.S. Mint will have on display ELEVEN 1933 Double Eagle gold pieces! The story of these is well known – one piece is legal to own (now in the “Elite” collection), and the other ten were seized from the Langbord family, with much litigation. In conjunction with this exhibit, the Mint is hosting a presentation featuring Greg Weinman (counsel for the U.S. Treasury), Stephen Fenton (one-time owner of the “legal” coin), and David Tripp, who cataloged the coin for the 2002 Stack’s/ Sotheby’s sale and also wrote a related book, Illegal Tender. This presentation will be given twice, at the U.S. Mint booth, on Thursday, August 27, at 2 PM, and again on Friday, August 28, at 11 AM. On a personal note, I’ll be giving a presentation on Friday, August 28, at 10 AM in Room 327, on the Newman Numismatic Portal (at https://nnp.wustl. edu/). As most of you know, I manage this site for Washington University in St. Louis. We have exciting developments for the coming year, and this will be an opportunity to discuss where we’ve been and where we’re going. I hope to see you there, or if not, during the convention as opportunity allows.
LSCC Info & Member Application: lsccweb.org Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht August 2026
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Pittsburgh Restaurant Reviews for the ANA Crowd By Michael Fleming, LSCC #2995 For the gastronomically inclined, here are a dozen restaurant reviews covering the greater Pittsburgh area. The author is a former Pittsburgh resident who wishes to remain anonymous.
North Side (~1–2 miles)
7. Fig & Ash • 4.7 — 514 E Ohio St | (412) 321-2222 One of Pittsburgh’s highest-rated restaurants. Creative, artful American cuisine with an exceptional wine program. They accommodate parties well. Dinner only, Right Downtown (walking distance) Wed–Sat. 1. Eddie Merlot’s • 4.6 — 444 Liberty Ave | (412) 2357676 An upscale steakhouse just a few blocks away. 8. Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse • 4.6 — 247 North Great atmosphere with live music on weekends, atten- Shore Dr | (412) 222-4014 A classic upscale steakhouse tive service, and a menu that pleases a crowd. One of the on the North Shore, very close to PNC Park. Known for Japanese Wagyu, great service, and a good happy hour. most group-friendly options on this list. Easy access from downtown. 2. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse • 4.5 — 455 Fifth Ave | (412) 240-6140 Stunning interior with marble and iron décor, marble walls of wine, dry-aged Station Square / South Side (~1.5–2 miles) steaks, and jacket service at the door. Very close to the 9. Grand Concourse • 4.2 — 100 W Station Square Dr | convention center and well-equipped for groups. (412) 261-1717 A truly unique Pittsburgh dining expe3. The Commoner • 4.4 — 620 William Penn Pl | (412) rience — a gorgeous seafood restaurant inside a restored 230-4800 A polished gastropub in the Kimpton Hotel, 1900s train station. The atmosphere alone is worth the steps from Talia. Rustic-elegant vibe, serious cocktails, trip for out-of-towners, and the lobster bisque is legand a focused menu of well-executed dishes. Great for endary. a group that wants quality without full fine-dining formality. 4. Meat & Potatoes • 4.5 — 649 Penn Ave | (412) 325- Mt. Washington (~2–3 miles) 7007 A beloved Cultural District gastropub with inven- 10. Monterey Bay Fish Grotto • 4.7 — 1411 Grandview tive American fare, excellent cocktails, and a lively but Ave | (412) 481-4414 Spectacular panoramic views of refined atmosphere. One of Pittsburgh’s most consis- the Pittsburgh skyline from atop Mt. Washington. Outtently praised spots. standing seafood, impeccable service, and a truly memorable setting. A perennial Pittsburgh favorite for special occasions. Strip District (~1 mile) 5. Eleven • 4.6 — 1150 Smallman St | (412) 201-5656 11. Altius • 4.6 — 1230 Grandview Ave | (412) 528-6954 One of the top upscale American restaurants in the Also on Mt. Washington with incredible city views. Fine city. Beautiful interior, impeccable service, a thought- dining American menu with excellent staff and private ful menu with great seafood and steaks. Highly recom- dining capabilities. Lawrenceville / East End (~3–4 miles) mended for a special group dinner. 6. Bar Marco • 4.6 — 2216 Penn Ave | (412) 471-1900 12. Morcilla • 4.7 — 3519 Butler St | (412) 652-9924 An acclaimed Italian restaurant with a dedicated events/ Pittsburgh’s top Spanish tapas restaurant, widely conprivate dining program — they’ve hosted wedding re- sidered one of the best restaurants in the city. The tapas ceptions. Intimate and ingredient-driven. Closed Mon format is naturally fun for groups. Dinner only, Tue–Sat. & Sun. Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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E-Gobrecht August 2026
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht August 2026
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Attribution Exercise – The Solution! By Len Augsburger, LSCC #1271 Note: Please see last month’s E-Gobrecht for the first half of this two-part series! A couple months back reader MK wrote in, asking about a die attribution for an 1861-O Half Dollar. These are extremely tricky coins, and I quickly weighed in with an incorrect attribution. Reader RC commented “Looking at the 1861-O half dollar pictures in the newsletter and trying to find out what attribution it might be is not easy due to the lower resolution of the photos in the newsletter, especially when blowing them up to capture details. Nonetheless, my vote is W-03, although a fair amount of guessing was involved.” MK now reports PCGS has attributed the coin as a WB-13, with the bisected date. The PCGS True Views make the case much more obvious. As seen here, there is a very faint die crack ascending from the dentil beneath the left side of 6. Additionally, the horizontal die lines to the far right of the date match Bill Bugert’s description of the WB-13 obverse. The example represents an early die state.
This piece exhibits obverse 6 in the Wiley-Bugert classifications, which was used on both the WB-13 and WB-14. The WB-13 and WB-14 are further differentiated by the mintmark placement, which is left on the WB-13 (pictured here at the left) and more centered on the WB-14.
Two Big Takeaways Here: 1) PCGS True Views should be consulted when available! 2) Many such coins require in-hand inspection. The bisected date on this piece is likely much more apparent under a glass.
Editor’s Note: Apologies to anyone who may have been…less than successful…when trying to access the EXCELLENT online resources in last month’s article on this topic. Please see the corrected hyperlinks, below. • Randy Wiley’s attribution guide for the 1861-O half dollar, published in Gobrecht Journal #94, accessible via: https://archive.org/details/gobrechtjournalfn094libe/page/2/mode/2up • Bill Bugert’s guide, published in the Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollars Varieties, Volume 4, and available here: https://archive.org/details/LSHDVol4NOpart2/page/456/mode/2up
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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E-Gobrecht August 2026
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht August 2026
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Regional News: The ANA World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh is Approaching! By Ken Otto, Regional Team Director, LSCC #2674 The summer weather and the rare coin market are both reasonably hot as we near the gathering of coin dealers and collectors at the ANA World’s Fair of Money which is being held in Pittsburgh this year! We were last in Pittsburgh for the Summer ANA Convention in 2023 when we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the LSCC and we look forward to returning to Pittsburgh again. The LSCC regional team will remain very active at regional and national coin shows over the next several months. Many participants in the rare coin market have noted that the market has remained strong over the summer this year and has not undergone the typical summer slowdown experienced in the past. We continue to see high collector interest in Liberty Seated coins and the attendance at most coin shows has been good. The regional team attended the Summer FUN Show which was held July 9th-11th at the Orange County Convention Center, West Building, Orlando, FL. The overall attendance at this major summer-time national coin show was reasonably strong. The club table was hosted by Dennis Fortier, Carl Feldman, and Ken Otto. Two new LSCC members were signed up and many existing members visited the club table during the show. The LSCC regional team also participated in the Bay State Coin Show which was held July 24th-25th at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, 181 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA 01752. The club table was hosted by Joe Casazza and John Frost. The regional team reported that two new members joined the LSCC at the Bay State show. The LSCC regional team plans to participate in the Missouri Numismatic Society Coin Show to be held August 6th-8th at the St. Charles Convention Center, 1 Convention Plaza, St. Charles, MO 63303. The club table will be hosted by Ed Terneus. The LSCC regional team will be at the ANA World’s Fair of Money to be held in Pittsburgh, PA (David Lawrence Convention Center; 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd.) on August 25th-29th. We will conduct a club
Joe Cazassa at the Club Table at Bay State.
Joe Casazza Talking to Visitors at Bay State.
Joe Casazza Talking to People at Bay State.
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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E-Gobrecht August 2026
Carl Feldman and Dennis Fortier at Summer FUN.
meeting at the show. John Dannreuther will be making a presentation on Liberty Seated proof coins during our meeting. The club table will be hosted by many people including Dennis Fortier, John Frost, Greg Johnson, Joe Casazza, and Ken Otto. The LSCC regional team will be participating in the Central Ohio Numismatic Association’s (CONA) Ohio State Coin Show on September 4th-5th at the Embassy Suites-Dublin, 5100 Upper Metro Place, Dublin, Ohio. Dennis Fortier and Ken Otto will host
Carl and Dennis at Club Table at Summer FUN.
the club table. Dennis plans to make a presentation on Liberty Seated half dollars. The LSCC regional team plans to participate in the North Carolina Numismatic Association Coin Show to be held October 2nd-4th at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center, 4751 Highway 49 N, Concord, NC 28205. The club table will be hosted by John Lundsten and Dan Perkins.
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht August 2026
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Hunting for a Legend: the 1875-S ‘Micro S’ Half Dollar 1875-S ‘Micro S’ Half Dollar – Request for Information By Dennis Fortier, LSCC #2016 Dear E-Gobrecht subscribers and LSCC Club Members: • When and Where purchased (including price I am attempting to gather all the information I can on paid) the famous 1875-S Micro S, WB-19, WB-105, Liberty • Photos – if convenient Seated Half Dollar. All personal information will be held confidential. Information Requested: Help build a database for this sought-after variety! • Grade of coin(s), Raw or Certified Please send information to Dennis Fortier at: • Full Certification Number (including any variety ricajun@msn.com nomenclature)
Sample Coin (Obverse)
Sample Coin (Reverse) – note the ‘Micro S’ mintmark!
Monthly E-Gobrecht Newsletter Advertising Rates (Prices are per issue. All ads should include some Liberty Seated coins and/or related material.) Full Page $100 Half Page $50 Quarter Page $30 Inquires & Special Rates: Contact Advertising Manager Jeff Pritchard at jjpsr2@gmail.com Deadline: 25th of the month prior to month of issue For Advertising in The Gobrecht Journal, see contact above. Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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E-Gobrecht August 2026
Great News – Online Donations Now Accepted! By Jeff Pritchard, LSCC #1759
STEP #2
In conjunction with your Liberty Seated Collectors Club’s organizational transition to a public charity, our website now accommodates online charitable (tax-deductible) contributions for those wishing to support our educational mission. The next time you visit our website (https://lsccweb. org/) you’ll notice a new option on the upper right side of the menu or navigation bar: We’ve added a “Donate” button (see “Step #1”, below)! Clicking on that button takes you to a page which describes the various ways you can financially support the organization.
STEP #1
While you’ll receive an immediate email notification from PayPal that you made a payment to the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, within 60 minutes you’ll be emailed your IRS charitable contribution (tax-deductible) letter attesting to your donation date, amount, and that you received no goods or services in return. Save this letter as part of your annual tax records.
STEP #3
The first option listed (see “Step #2”, below) allows you to contribute with your credit card. Clicking on that option takes you to a direct donation page (illustrated in “Step #3”, also below). You can then enter the amount you wish to contribute, click the blue “Add to Cart” button, and checkout just as you would on any e-commerce site, paying with the credit card of your choice. (We currently have a $25 minimum donation threshold due to backend processing fees).
That’s all there is to it! In 5 minutes you can help support the future of the Liberty Seated Collectors Club and our underlying numismatic hobby…with a tax deduction to boot!
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht August 2026
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Seated Fest III Approaches! By Len Augsburger, LSCC #1271 As previously announced…SeatedFest III is still scheduled to coincide with the FUN Show in January 2027. We’ve already met with officials from the FUN organization and they are enthusiastic. The first SeatedFest occurred at the November 2011 Baltimore show and featured exhibits of notable sets of Liberty Seated coinage. As we noted at the time: “In our recollection, there has never been a similar exhibit of Liberty Seated coinage, with the exception of auction lot viewings such as Eliasberg, Richmond, etc.”
owner of the coin was on hand, and the event featured great conversation and camaraderie.
You are invited to participate in making SeatedFest III an equally memorable event! We are looking for collectors to exhibit their Liberty Seated coins, which need not necessarily represent complete sets of a particular denomination. Thematic collections built around varieties or other ideas are also welcome – in short, if it is interesting to you, it will probably be interesting to your fellow collectors. We further invite presenters and volSeatedFest II was held at the March 2019 show in Bal- unteers to coordinate social events, pre-event promotimore and included presentations on each denomina- tion, and security. Simply indicate your interest to me or tion of Seated coinage, in addition to extensive exhibits another club officer and we will guide you accordingly. that notably included the unique 1870-S half dime. The
E-Gobrecht Deadline for Subscriber Submissions 30th of the month prior to month of issue Send submissions to: Michael Fleming egeditor1891@gmail.com Next Deadline for Submissions to The Gobrecht Journal: Fall/Winter 2026 - October 1 Send Inquiries & Submissions to: lscc@lsccweb.org
LSCC Info & Member Application: lsccweb.org Liberty Seated Collectors Club