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1870 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-955

Strike Type
1870 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-955

Coin Details

Year
1870
Denomination
Patterns
Mint Mark
P
Strike Type
Proof
Series
Standard Silver Patterns (1870)
Composition
Other

Auction Record

$6,463 PR65 06-01-2015 Goldberg Auctioneers

Description

Aluminum with a reeded edge, J-955 renders the inscribed-diadem Liberty Head and STANDARD wreath reverse in the lightest metal available to the 1870 Mint. The aluminum composition gives this variety a distinctive bright, silvery-white appearance that closely approximates the visual character of a silver striking while weighing dramatically less. The contrast between familiar appearance and unexpected weightlessness made aluminum patterns conversation pieces among the numismatists and Mint officials who handled them, tangibly illustrating how dramatically composition affects the physical experience of a coin.

Rarity Notes

R-7+. Extremely rare, estimated fewer than half a dozen examples survive.

Cross References

Judd-955, Pollock-1099

External References

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