As Liberty Seated Half Dollars go, the 1855-O is a rather ordinary issue for the series. It was struck at the New Orleans Mint during the middle years of the coin’s run and saw 3,688,000 strikes – neither a particularly high nor low mintage in the context of the series. Yet, it saw the second-highest mintage of the With Arrows subtype, which was produced only during 1854 and 1855; the arrows at the date indicate the then-recent reduction in the coin’s weight from 13.36 grams down to 12.44 grams.
In that sense, the 1855-O Liberty Seated Half Dollar offers some intrigue, reflecting critical changes to the silver content of the coin and affording collectors a slightly different design than can be found with many other years. Thankfully for those who want to add an example to their sets, this coin isn’t all that difficult to land. PCGS estimates there are 3,500 extant specimens across all grades, with about 350 in Mint State and 30 grading MS65 or better. So, there are plenty of examples out there for those who want one.
Prices for the 1855-O Liberty Seated Half Dollar begin around $85 in G04 and increase to $125 in F12. Those who want a coin with only light wear may opt for an XF40, which trades for $275. Predictably, the coin becomes much harder to find in Mint State grades, though many might consider this date relatively affordable at that price level. Values hover around $2,000 for MS63 specimens, but they quadruple to $8,000 in MS65. Collectors who want premium quality, especially if they have aims of landing top scores on the PCGS Set Registry, will likely aim for MS66 or MS67 examples, which fetch $16,000 and $70,000, respectively. Regardless of your budget, always look for pieces that exhibit a strong strike and overall nice eye appeal.