1864 Seated Liberty Half Dollar - Ma-Bo 55, Masonic Temple

Coin Details

Auction Record

$10,200 AU58 04-13-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1864 piece, cataloged as Ma-Bo 55, incorporates the Seated Liberty Half Dollar design in connection with a Masonic Temple. The Ma-Bo catalog identifies Masonic numismatic items. Masonic organizations frequently incorporated coin designs into their medals, creating hybrids combining national symbolism with fraternal identity. The Seated Liberty design was one of the most recognizable of the era. Bronze medals have served as the workhorse composition for American commemoratives, providing a durable and affordable medium that allowed broad distribution while maintaining the artistic quality of the original designs. Regional and local commemorative medals provide historical documentation of community celebrations, institutional milestones, and civic achievements that may be poorly represented in other primary source material. Masonic lodges were important social organizations in Civil War America, and their commemorative productions document the intersection of fraternal culture, patriotism, and numismatic art.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Ma-Bo 55. Masonic items incorporating coin designs are specialized collectibles.

Cross References

PCGS #535196; Ma-Bo 55; Masonic Temple; Seated Liberty Half Dollar Design; 1864