Heritage World Coin Auctions
FUN Signature US Coin Sale 1251 4-6 & 8-9 Jan 2017
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Patterns
1838 P50C Half Dollar, Judd-73 Restrike, Pollock-77, R.5, PR66 PCGS. CAC. On the obverse, Liberty faces left and wears a diadem and a ribbon inscribed LIBERTY. 13 stars and the date fill the periphery. On the reverse, an eagle flies level in a plain field with the statutory legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around, and the denomination HALF DOLLAR below. Kneass is believed to designed this pattern, but Christian Gobrecht has been credited as the designer. The face of Liberty bears a strong resemblance to her counterpart on the Liberty eagle, also introduced in 1838. Struck in silver with a reeded edge. Medallic alignment.
The Judd-73 patterns surely are among the most confusing issues in the entire pattern series. It appears that all are restrikes. The only question is when a particular coin produced. Occasional mention has been made of original strikes, but such a piece does not appear to exist; to date, every coin examined shows die cracks on the reverse. The Mint Cabinet (Smithsonian) does not have an example of this pattern in any state. The earliest state known is the same as seen on this piece: a die break from AM in AMERICA to the eagle, a second from AR in DOLLAR to the eagle, and a partial crack from the eagle toward the A in HALF. This last crack is only partially present and key to dating this half dollar to the early 1840s.
This is one of the finest examples known of this early-striking period half dollar. Only one other piece has been so graded by PCGS and one is finer, an NGC-certified coin (11/16). The fields are deeply mirrored and flash strongly through the cobalt-blue and deep rose toning seen on each side. No obvious flaws or contact marks are apparent.
1838 P50C Half Dollar, Judd-73 Restrike, Pollock-77, R.5, PR66 PCGS. CAC. On the obverse, Liberty faces left and wears a diadem and a ribbon inscribed LIBERTY. 13 stars and the date fill the periphery. On the reverse, an eagle flies level in a plain field with the statutory legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around, and the denomination HALF DOLLAR below. Kneass is believed to designed this pattern, but Christian Gobrecht has been credited as the designer. The face of Liberty bears a strong resemblance to her counterpart on the Liberty eagle, also introduced in 1838. Struck in silver with a reeded edge. Medallic alignment.
The Judd-73 patterns surely are among the most confusing issues in the entire pattern series. It appears that all are restrikes. The only question is when a particular coin produced. Occasional mention has been made of original strikes, but such a piece does not appear to exist; to date, every coin examined shows die cracks on the reverse. The Mint Cabinet (Smithsonian) does not have an example of this pattern in any state. The earliest state known is the same as seen on this piece: a die break from AM in AMERICA to the eagle, a second from AR in DOLLAR to the eagle, and a partial crack from the eagle toward the A in HALF. This last crack is only partially present and key to dating this half dollar to the early 1840s.
This is one of the finest examples known of this early-striking period half dollar. Only one other piece has been so graded by PCGS and one is finer, an NGC-certified coin (11/16). The fields are deeply mirrored and flash strongly through the cobalt-blue and deep rose toning seen on each side. No obvious flaws or contact marks are apparent.