Rarity: Extremely Rare

Variety Equivalents: Not in Valentine, 
Not in Breen

Notes:
This variety has a triple-punched date that escaped the eagle eyes of numismatic researchers for many years, perhaps because the only appearances of this variety have been in Proof and it has only been in recent decades that they have entered the market.  Valentine missed the variety, Breen does not mention it in his "Encyclopedia" (1988), and Al Blythe failed to include it in his "The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dimes" (1992).  Akers considers this a Proof-only variety, with a potential mintage of 10-15 Proofs and 6-8 survivors.

Enlarged view of the date area
 

Images courtesy of David Akers Numismatics, Inc.

Known examples:
1. Choice Proof - Numismatic Gallery in the late 1940's - John Jay Pittman - David Akers Numismatics, Inc. sale of the John Jay Pittman collection, Part One, October 21-23, 1997, Lot 470.

2. Choice Proof - part of an original set of silver and copper 1843 coins purchased from Judge Joseph F. Sawicki on May 10, 1948 for $225 - John Jay Pittman - David Akers Numismatics, Inc. sale of the John Jay Pittman collection, Part One, October 21-23, 1997, Lot 832c.  Pittman's 1843 Proof set consisted of three Proof gold coins acquired in March 1948 from the "Memorable" Collection sale combined with the silver and copper coins (mentioned above) purchased two months later.  Illustrated above.

3. Proof - Amon Carter sale (part of a complete 1843 Proof set).

4. Proof - Floyd Starr collection sale.

5. Uncirculated (unconfirmed) - in the Pittman catalogue, Akers includes the following statement in his description of Lot 470: "The late Kam Ahwash once claimed to have had an Unc. of this variety, but I think it is more likely that this is a Proof-only variety".

Sources and recommended reading:
"Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia Of U.S. And Colonial Coins" by Walter Breen