1851 California Gold $50 - "880" $50 RE Augustus Humbert

Coin Details

Auction Record

$460,000 MS65 09-01-2008 Bowers & Merena

Description

The 1851 Humbert fifty-dollar slug with 880 fineness and reeded edge represents a significant production change from the earlier lettered edge varieties. The switch to a reeded edge simplified manufacturing, as the lettered edge required an additional step in the coining process. This variety was produced later in the 1851 production run as Humbert’s operation gained efficiency. The obverse and reverse designs remain essentially unchanged from the lettered edge versions, with the heraldic eagle, Humbert’s title and name, and the engine-turned reverse pattern showing 880 THOUS. The key distinction is purely in the edge treatment — reeding replaced the lengthy inscribed lettering that had characterized the first issues. The reeded edge variety is important to collectors because it documents the evolution of production techniques at the U.S. Assay Office. While the lettered edge carried additional security against counterfeiting (as it was more difficult to replicate), the practical demands of high-volume production apparently outweighed this concern. The reeded edge fifty-dollar pieces continued to circulate freely alongside their lettered edge counterparts.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. The reeded edge 880 variety is scarcer than the lettered edge versions. Approximately 30-50 examples are known across all grades.

Cross References

K-7 (Kagin); PCGS #10211; NGC #31085; Augustus Humbert, U.S. Assay Office, San Francisco; reeded edge variety