1876 Fifty Dollar Hub Trial - J-A1877-11, Reverse

Coin Details

Description

This reverse hub trial is associated with the legendary fifty-dollar gold piece, a denomination that was never adopted for regular production but generated some of the most spectacular patterns in American numismatic history. The Judd-A1877-11 designation connects this hub trial to the broader fifty-dollar pattern series that culminated in the famous 1877 Half Union patterns (J-1546 through J-1548) — monumental gold coins weighing approximately 83.6 grams that represented the largest denomination ever seriously considered by the United States Mint. William Barber, the Chief Engraver, created designs for the fifty-dollar piece that featured a large Liberty Head on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse. This hub trial captures the reverse design — the eagle motif that Barber engraved for this unprecedented denomination. As a hub trial rather than a die trial, this piece was struck from the master hub itself, testing the tool that would be used to sink individual working dies if the denomination were ever approved for production. The fifty-dollar gold piece was never authorized for circulation, making all related patterns, die trials, and hub trials artifacts of a monetary experiment that remained unrealized. Hub trials from the fifty-dollar series are among the most historically significant items in the entire Judd pattern catalog.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare, unique. Hub trials for the fifty-dollar denomination are among the rarest items in American numismatics, as the denomination was never produced for circulation.

Cross References

Judd-A1877-11