1884 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-1730

Coin Details

Description

A copper trial striking of the 1884 Seated Liberty half dollar, J-1730 preserves the fifty-cent denomination's design on a base-metal planchet. The Seated Liberty half dollar was among the most important commercial denominations in the American monetary system, widely used in everyday transactions and as a store of value. Christian Gobrecht's seated figure of Liberty holding a shield had graced the half dollar since 1839, with the addition of the IN GOD WE TRUST motto above the eagle in 1866 creating the design format documented in this 1884 pattern. The half dollar's generous 30.6-millimeter diameter provides an expansive canvas for the Seated Liberty design, and copper impressions capture this detail with exceptional fidelity. Like the companion quarter pattern J-1729, the 1884 copper half dollar exists in extremely limited numbers, reflecting the Mint's practice of striking only minimal quantities of off-metal die trials for denominations with established production designs. The Seated Liberty half dollar would continue in production through 1891 before yielding to the Barber design.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8 (Extremely Rare). Approximately 2-4 examples estimated. Copper half dollar patterns from the late Seated Liberty era are consistently among the rarest entries in the Judd catalog.

Cross References

Judd J-1730, Pollock P-1941