1915 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-1791/1961

Coin Details

Auction Record

$176,250 PR65 04-24-2013 Heritage Auctions

Description

A Pan-Pacific half dollar pattern bearing dual catalog numbers, with J-1791 representing the traditional Judd assignment and 1961 the alternative reference. This proof striking documents one of the design proposals considered for the half dollar denomination in the 1915 Panama-Pacific commemorative series. The adopted production half dollar, designed by Charles Keck, features a helmeted figure of Columbia scattering fruit and flowers from a cornucopia on the obverse and an owl perched on a pine branch on the reverse. J-1791 may present an alternative treatment of Pan-Pacific themes that was considered alongside Keck's design during the competitive evaluation process. The half dollar was the most widely produced silver denomination in the Pan-Pacific series, with a mintage of 27,134 pieces (including both uncirculated and proof formats), making it the most accessible commemorative from the program. The design selection for this denomination was important because the half dollar would serve as the primary souvenir coin for exposition visitors — affordable enough for broad public purchase while substantial enough to convey the artistic ambitions of the commemorative program. Pattern strikings like J-1791 preserve the rejected alternatives that lost out to Keck's ultimately adopted design.

Rarity Notes

R-7 (Extremely Rare). Pan-Pacific half dollar patterns are very scarce, with most varieties known in fewer than ten specimens.

Cross References

Judd J-1791, also cataloged as 1961