1880 Proof Half Eagle Pattern - J-1663

Coin Details

Auction Record

$24,675 PR65 06-02-2014 Goldberg Auctioneers

Description

The sole half eagle ($5) pattern from 1880, J-1663 represents Charles Barber's exploration of the five-dollar gold denomination during his first full year as Chief Engraver. The half eagle was America's oldest gold denomination, authorized by the original Mint Act of 1792 and continuously produced (with occasional gaps) for nearly ninety years by the time this pattern was struck. The obverse features a Coronet Liberty head in the style that had defined the production half eagle since Christian Gobrecht's 1839 design, incorporating subtle modifications reflecting Barber's personal touch. The reverse bears the familiar heraldic eagle with shield, olive branch, and arrows, with IN GOD WE TRUST above and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIVE D. around the border. This pattern exists at the intersection of the goloid metric dollar program and Barber's broader interest in surveying all denominations of American gold coinage. While no fundamental redesign of the half eagle was contemplated in 1880 — the Coronet type would continue in production until 1908 — Barber's pattern work at this early stage of his career laid the groundwork for the comprehensive design survey that would characterize his forty-year tenure as Chief Engraver.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8. Extremely rare, with very few specimens known. Gold denomination patterns from 1880 are seldom offered at auction.

Cross References

Judd J-1663, Pollock P-1863