1859 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-237

Coin Details

Auction Record

$5,100 • PR64 PCGS • 04-2017 • Heritage Auctions

Description

Judd-237 is a silver pattern half dollar combining Longacre's "French Head of Liberty" obverse with a cereal wreath reverse enclosing the denomination HALF DOL. The obverse features the Romanesque bust of Liberty facing right with a crown of oak and vine leaves. The reverse displays a wreath composed of cotton, tobacco, sugar cane, corn, wheat, and oak leaves enclosing the denomination, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the border. This cereal wreath design is very similar to the wreath adopted for the 1860 Seated Liberty dime, though rendered on a much larger scale. Struck in silver with a reeded edge, J-237 is one of the more available 1859 French Head half dollar patterns, with the Mint having produced sets of four patterns for sale. The digits 185 in the date show evidence of repunching, a characteristic shared across several 1859 half dollar pattern varieties.

Rarity Notes

R.4. Approximately 60-100 examples exist.

Cross References

Pollock-293