View All 1870 Half Dime Patterns

1870 Proof Half Dime Pattern - J-822

Strike Type

Coin Details

Year
1870
Denomination
Patterns
Mint Mark
P
Strike Type
Proof
Series
Standard Silver Patterns (1870)
Designer
William Barber
Composition
Copper

Description

An aluminum striking of the Seated Liberty obverse with wreath reverse, J-822 is among the lightest coins in the entire 1870 Standard Silver series. The half dime planchet was already tiny in silver, and aluminum's density of roughly one-quarter that of silver would have produced an almost impossibly delicate coin. Handling an aluminum half dime would have been an unusual sensory experience for nineteenth-century evaluators accustomed to the reassuring heft of silver, raising immediate questions about public willingness to accept such an insubstantial piece as money. Cataloged as PCGS #61066.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8. Very rare, approximately 3-8 examples known.

Cross References

Judd-822, Pollock-915

External References

Error Varieties

No listings found

This category doesn't have any child listings yet.

Other Strike Types in This Series

Collector Essentials

Tools and references for building and protecting your coin collection.

As an Amazon Associate, NumisDex earns from qualifying purchases.