1878 Half Eagle Hub Trial - J-A1878-4, Obverse

Coin Details

Description

This obverse hub trial for the Liberty Head half eagle ($5 gold) was produced at the Philadelphia Mint in 1878. Hub trials differ from die trials in an important way: while a die trial tests a finished working die, a hub trial tests the master hub from which working dies are produced. The hub is a positive-image steel cylinder that is pressed into blank die steel to create the negative-image working dies used in coin production. Testing the hub ensures that the master design will transfer cleanly to each new die, which is critical because a single hub may be used to create dozens or even hundreds of working dies over its lifetime. The Liberty Head half eagle design, created by Christian Gobrecht and first used in 1839, was in its fortieth year of production by 1878. The obverse features the Coronet Liberty head facing left, surrounded by thirteen stars and the date. This hub trial, cataloged as Judd appendix A1878-4, captures only the obverse design, confirming that the obverse hub was being tested independently of the reverse. Such single-side hub trials are typical of the Mint's systematic approach to quality control in the die-making process.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Hub trials are produced in very small quantities as internal Mint test pieces and rarely survive in numismatic channels.

Cross References

Judd A1878-4; Pollock; United States Mint, Philadelphia; Liberty Head (Coronet) half eagle series