1838 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-79a

Coin Details

Auction Record

Description

Cataloged as Judd-79A (Pollock-86) and rated Low R.7, indicating roughly 7 to 12 surviving examples, this silver half dollar pattern pairs the Seated Liberty obverse with Christian Gobrecht's Flying Eagle reverse. The obverse employs the "straight date" variant with LIBERTY incused on the shield, close to the design adopted for circulation strikes. The reverse shows Gobrecht's eagle in flight, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on the upper rim and HALF DOLLAR at the lower margin. Struck in silver with a reeded edge and medallic die orientation. What sets Judd-79A apart from many other 1838 half dollar patterns is the consensus among researchers that no restrikes of this variety exist. Unlike the majority of the 1838 patterns, which were reproduced in the 1860s and 1870s for the collector market, all known examples of this die combination are original strikings; uspatterns.com notes that one was struck in July 1843 for collector Matthew Stickney and suggests most were struck that year. This attribution is supported by the observation that no lightweight restrike specimens have ever been confirmed. Reference data: struck in silver with a reeded edge, rated R-7. Catalogued as Judd-79A, Pollock-86, A/W 77, Taxay EP103. Incuse liberty obverse (so-called straight date) only original from this obverse die.

Rarity Notes

R-7 (USPatterns.com)

Cross References

Judd-79a; Pollock-86; Adams-Woodin 77; Taxay EP103