1853-O No Arrows Half Dollar Authentication

The 1853-O No Arrows half dollar is a well-known rarity in the U.S. series, with four pieces known. The highest graded coin, at VF35, resided for many years in the Eliasberg collection and is currently owned by Dell Loy Hansen. The second highest graded piece, VG8, was discovered in recent years. A Newman Portal user recently forwarded for authentication images of a low-grade example. A check of the Bill Bugert reference on Liberty Seated half dollar varieties quickly betrayed this piece, as the mintmark is punched too high as compared to a genuine example. In this case, an 1858-O piece was likely altered to appear as an 1853.

[First three images are NNP user's coin, fourth image is a genuine reverse as imaged by Heritage.]

Link to Bill Bugert publications on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/booksbyauthor/361