1870 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-931

Coin Details

Auction Record

$12,650 PR66 02-09-2006 Heritage Auctions

Description

Struck in aluminum with a reeded edge, J-931 renders the Seated Liberty obverse and STANDARD wreath reverse in the most exotic metal employed in the 1870 pattern program. Aluminum was considerably more expensive than silver in 1870, since the Hall-Heroult electrolytic refining process would not be invented until 1886. An aluminum half dollar would have weighed barely one-third of its silver counterpart, producing an unsettlingly lightweight coin that challenged fundamental assumptions about the relationship between a coin's heft and its purchasing power. The reeded edge on this aluminum striking is particularly well-defined, as the soft metal accepted edge detailing readily.

Rarity Notes

R-7. Extremely rare, approximately 4-12 examples known.

Cross References

Judd-931, Pollock-1037