1878 Half Dollar Error List with Pictures
A small raised line helps identify a very valuable 1878-S half dollar. One graded MS66 sold for $288,000 at Stack’s Bowers in March 2020.
Its rare date and excellent condition explain that price. A different Philadelphia coin has a stepped edge caused during striking.
These 1878 half dollar errors have separate estimated ranges: $1,500–$3,000 for the Philadelphia edge error around MS63, and $190,000–$300,000 for exceptional MS64–MS66 San Francisco coins. The checks below explain what to look for.
1878 Liberty Seated Half Dollar Partial Collar Error (Estimated Up to $3,000)
Look at this half dollar from the side. A step around the edge can show that the metal blank sat only partly inside the collar.
The collar is a metal ring that limits the coin’s width during striking. Metal held inside the ring stayed in place, while metal above it could spread outward.
Collectors call the result a partial-collar strike, sometimes a railroad rim. Missing edge grooves alone do not prove it.
A seller listed an 1878 Philadelphia example graded PCGS MS63. That is an unworn coin with some visible marks.
Estimated Value
The seller asked $2,929.99 for the Philadelphia coin. An ended listing does not prove someone paid that price.
An estimated $1,500–$3,000 covers a similar genuine example around MS63. The date, surfaces, and visible edge step all matter.
For another half-dollar design, a 1925 Vancouver partial-collar coin sold for $432 in September 2025. It also graded PCGS MS63, but its different date and collector market prevent a direct price match.
How to Identify
An edge photograph needs to show more than a short section. Rotate the coin and look for a clear step between the narrower part and the wider portion.
With a 10× magnifier, inspect where those two levels meet. Grinding leaves tool marks, and repeated knocks can flatten edge grooves without forming a genuine collar step.
Check the date and lack of a mintmark for the Philadelphia example. The normal half weighs 12.50 grams when unworn and measures about 30.6 millimeters, with grooves around its edge.
Use a digital scale and calipers when safely accessible. A wider section can support the striking error, but the continuous step is the feature to compare with an authenticated partial-collar coin.
1878-S Liberty Seated Half Dollar Reverse Die Crack Error (Up to $288,000)
Above the middle letters of UNITED, a raised line helps identify the 1878-S half dollar. It came from a die used for the back that had already cracked in 1877.
A die is the steel tool that stamps the design. Silver entered its fracture during later strikes, leaving a raised line instead of a cut.
Bill Bugert’s register describes the crack as a shared feature of the issue. It is not a separate rare error found on only one coin.
The very small S also matters. Both features must appear on a genuine coin dated 1878.
Estimated Value
The MS66 example sold for $288,000 in March 2020. That grade means exceptionally well-preserved unworn condition.
For comparable MS64–MS66 coins, the estimated whole-coin range is $190,000–$300,000. The scarce San Francisco issue and strong preservation drive those figures.
The crack does not add $288,000 to an ordinary half dollar. A worn example also belongs in a different price range, even if its tiny S and raised line are easy to see.
How to Identify
Read 1878 before following any crack line. An 1877 coin can show an earlier stage of the same die, but it is a different issue.
Next find the tiny S below the eagle. Use a 10× magnifier above UNITED and match the raised line with the specialist photographs.
Keep both sides visible. A close-up alone can hide an altered date or added mintmark.
A normal example has grooves around its edge, weighs 12.50 grams when unworn, and measures about 30.6 millimeters. Scale and caliper checks on a safely accessible coin help, but correct size does not prove authenticity.
For this valuable date, a professional check of the date, S, and matching die features is the clearest way to confirm the coin.
Conclusion
One error is easiest to see from the edge; the other is a fine line above UNITED. They explain different parts of the minting process.
The Philadelphia partial-collar estimate is $1,500–$3,000 around MS63. The rare 1878-S reaches an estimated $190,000–$300,000 in exceptional MS64–MS66 condition, so its crack must never be treated as a shortcut to that price.