Heritage World Coin Auctions
Dallas Signature US Coin Sale 1253 4-6 Apr 2017
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Seated Half Dollars
1839 50C No Drapery, WB-101, MS64+ NGC. CAC. The No Drapery portrait of Liberty was the initial Christian Gobrecht design. Early 1839 saw its introduction on the half dollar denomination, although the basic design had been used on other silver denominations earlier. The half dollar did not undergo the additional modifications that were implemented on the other Seated Liberty denominations, and it is the only denomination of the type that retained at least most of Gobrecht's original portrait until the series' end in 1891. Later in the 19th century, first-year types were saved in large numbers, but the scarcity of Uncirculated No Drapery halves indicates that relatively few coins were set aside at the time of issue.
At the near-Gem level, No Drapery halves become major condition rarities; coins that transcend their general unavailability for type purposes and take on the mantle of one of the major condition rarities in the Seated half series. This example displays bright, frosted mint luster that glows beneath the layers of blue-lilac and rose-yellow toning seen over each side. The strike details are strong on the obverse, with just a bit of softness noted on the eagle's left (facing) wing and leg on the reverse. At the MS64+ level, only four pieces have been certified by NGC and a mere three pieces are finer. None of the higher-graded pieces display the CAC endorsement seen on this high-end, Choice coin. Census: 4 in 64+, 3 finer (2/17).
HID02901242017
1839 50C No Drapery, WB-101, MS64+ NGC. CAC. The No Drapery portrait of Liberty was the initial Christian Gobrecht design. Early 1839 saw its introduction on the half dollar denomination, although the basic design had been used on other silver denominations earlier. The half dollar did not undergo the additional modifications that were implemented on the other Seated Liberty denominations, and it is the only denomination of the type that retained at least most of Gobrecht's original portrait until the series' end in 1891. Later in the 19th century, first-year types were saved in large numbers, but the scarcity of Uncirculated No Drapery halves indicates that relatively few coins were set aside at the time of issue.
At the near-Gem level, No Drapery halves become major condition rarities; coins that transcend their general unavailability for type purposes and take on the mantle of one of the major condition rarities in the Seated half series. This example displays bright, frosted mint luster that glows beneath the layers of blue-lilac and rose-yellow toning seen over each side. The strike details are strong on the obverse, with just a bit of softness noted on the eagle's left (facing) wing and leg on the reverse. At the MS64+ level, only four pieces have been certified by NGC and a mere three pieces are finer. None of the higher-graded pieces display the CAC endorsement seen on this high-end, Choice coin. Census: 4 in 64+, 3 finer (2/17).
HID02901242017