1838 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-76a, Restrike

Coin Details

Auction Record

$34,500 PR66 01-01-2009 Heritage Auctions

Description

Cataloged as Judd-76A (Pollock-82) and rated R.8, indicating only two or three known specimens, this is one of the rarest varieties in the 1838 half dollar pattern series. The obverse closely resembles the adopted Seated Liberty design with only minor differences, while the reverse features a distinctive spread-winged eagle clutching four arrows and a laurel branch, a design by Christian Gobrecht. Struck in silver with a reeded edge and medallic die alignment. Numismatic scholar Elvira Clain-Stefanelli identified the reverse design as originating from a mica drawing (No. 39) in Gobrecht's papers, reproduced in her 1991 ANA Anthology article. She believed the eagle design was originally intended for the quarter eagle denomination rather than the half dollar. Earlier editions of Judd described two variants distinguished by date style: a "straight date" and a "curved date." The straight date version, seen here, comes from the obverse die with LIBERTY incused on the shield, while the curved date appears on Judd-76b, which uses a raised-LIBERTY obverse. These restrikes are attributed to the 1870s production period, and both variants exhibit extensive reverse die rust consistent with prolonged die storage. Only two reeded-edge specimens exist, with the Garrett-Bass and Witham-Queller coins being the identified survivors.