(Lincroft, New Jersey) — The top-rated sets of Capped Bust and Liberty Seated half dimes in the PCGS Set RegistrySM have been sold in a multi-million dollar private sale by Legend Numismatics of Lincroft, New Jersey (www.LegendCoin.com).

The 93 coins include many of the finest known examples and the unique 1870-S half dime that was individually valued in this transaction at $1.4 million.

"The collections are known as ‘The Law Collections,’ named after the anonymous ‘Law Collector,’ a New Jersey hobbyist who sold the coins to us for $2.2 million," said Laura Sperber, President and Founder of Legend.  "We then sold both sets intact to a Western states collector who told me he would like to exhibit the 1870-S and other coins from his extensive collection, perhaps at an ANA convention next year."

"The buyer is especially excited about the mint state Liberty Seated half dimes because they will compliment his collection of proof half dimes," Sperber explained.

The Law Collections of half dimes comprised a total of six different categories that are each ranked number one in the PCGS Set Registry: Read the rest of this entry »

Congressman Frank Lucas introduced House Resolution 6942 Thursday that would swap today’s Jefferson Nickel with a circulating half-dime of old.

In an article Friday, details were scarce because the Government Printing Office had not yet published the bill’s text. That is no longer the case.

H.R. 6942 is officially entitled the ‘5 cent Restoration Act of 2008.’ Interestingly, it is at the top of the brevity scale when it comes to coin legislation with fewer than a dozen sentences. At the bill’s core are three lines that state its intent:

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Oklahoma congressman Frank Lucas introduced new coin legislation Thursday that would replace the circulating Jefferson nickel with a smaller and lighter five-cent coin, once known as a half-dime.

The text of the bill, H.R. 6942, has not yet been published by Government Printing Office (GPO), but insights into its intent may be gleaned from an article and Lucas statement by David Owen of The New Yorker in March:

"I think we need to assess stepping back from the nickel, the five-cent piece, and consider readopting the traditional five-cent coin, the old half-dime."

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