1870 Proof Half Dime Pattern - J-815

Coin Details

Auction Record

$5,500 CH PR 03-17-1992 Stack's

Description

Pairing a Liberty Head obverse with a HALF DIME within wreath reverse, this silver pattern offers one of the more commercially viable design alternatives explored in the half dime subseries. The Liberty Head obverse would later find its mature expression in Barber's 1892 dime, quarter, and half dollar designs, making this 1870 pattern an early precursor to the design vocabulary that would eventually define late nineteenth-century American coinage. The clear HALF DIME denomination within the wreath provided unambiguous identification, a practical consideration for a coin easily confused with other small denominations.

Rarity Notes

R-6 to R-7. Approximately 10-15 examples estimated.

Cross References

Judd-815, Pollock-908