1870 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-949
Strike Type
Coin Details
Auction Record
$4,945 PR63 07-30-1997 Heritage Auctions
Description
Struck in aluminum with a reeded edge, J-949 pairs the three-star cap Liberty Head obverse with the regular-issue eagle reverse in the lightest available metal. The familiar eagle with its scroll, olive branch, and arrows appears almost incongruously official on an aluminum planchet weighing barely a quarter of the standard silver half dollar. This piece would have served no practical circulating purpose given aluminum's extreme lightness and 1870-era cost, but it fulfilled Linderman's systematic program of documenting every design combination across all experimental compositions.
Rarity Notes
R-8. Very rare, estimated 2-4 examples known.
Cross References
Judd-949, Pollock-1078
External References
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