1870 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-958

Coin Details

Auction Record

$6,463 PR67 04-24-2013 Heritage Auctions

Description

The plain-edge silver counterpart to J-957, this half dollar pattern pairs the inscribed-diadem Liberty Head with the regular-issue eagle reverse. Plain-edge silver patterns from the Standard Silver program are consistently scarcer than their reeded-edge companions, reflecting the Mint's practice of including primarily reeded-edge specimens in the collector sets offered for sale. The combination of Barber's classical diadem portrait with the traditional eagle on a smooth-edged planchet gives this piece a distinctly formal quality, as though the coin were deliberately presented as a medal rather than a circulating denomination.

Rarity Notes

R-7. Extremely rare, estimated 4-12 examples survive.

Cross References

Judd-958, Pollock-1109