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The Liberty Seated design, without motto on the reverse, was minted in the half dollar series from 1839 through 1866. The obverse features Liberty seated on a rock, holding in her left hand a liberty cap on a pole and with her right hand holding a shield inscribed LIBERTY. Thirteen stars surround the top border, and the date is at bottom. The reverse is similar to the preceding type, and consists of an eagle perched on an olive branch and holding three arrows, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA above and HALF DOL. below.
This means that in 1839 two designs of the half dollar existed, namely the Capped Bust design and the Liberty Seated design. The Capped Bust continued to be minted throughout the year as the facilities changed their dies to make the new Liberty Seated design.
