| Ah, the little "Half-Sisters"! This fascinating series has not gotten the full respect it deserves, but that has also helped keep prices somewhat more affordable than the "Big-Brother" large cents. There are a couple of primary ways that enthusiasts tend to collect this series: either the 99-coin Cohen set, or the 33-coin date / registry set. Those shooting for the Cohen set have some major hurdles to clear, such as several very scarce 1794 "B-Sisters" with different edge devices, the 1796 No Pole, the 1797 Gripped Edge, the 1802/0 Reverse of 1800, and the elusive 1808/7 C1. But for those who achieve that level, what an accomplishment! And the 33-coin date set is by no means a cakewalk - you do have to have a 1796, an 1802/0, and an 1831, after all! Take heart, though, because there is an abundance of high-grade, choice examples available for MOST of the dates in this set, including some affordable mint-state coins. For that reason, unless it's a very rare variety, most collectors of half cents strive to find the most gorgeous, original, pristine examples available to fit their budget. But whatever your goal, whatever your budget, Half Cents are a great series to collect! Maybe I have some interesting "Half-Sisters" offered here that you can "adopt" for your own collection! |
