1915 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-1793/1960

Coin Details

Auction Record

$750,000 PR64 05-08-2022 Heritage Auctions

Description

The third dual-numbered Pan-Pacific half dollar pattern, bearing catalog numbers J-1793 and 1960. This piece completes a trio of half dollar design proposals (J-1791 through J-1793) produced for the Panama-Pacific commemorative program, offering a third distinct interpretation of the exposition's themes. The J-1793 base number is notable because it also anchors the extensive sub-variety sequences J-1793a and J-1793b in the dollar denomination, indicating a possible design relationship between the half dollar and dollar patterns — shared obverse or reverse elements scaled to different denominations. The Panama-Pacific half dollar was ultimately the most commercially successful coin in the commemorative series, with individual specimens selling for $1 at the exposition — a modest premium over face value that made them accessible souvenirs. The half dollar's design had to balance aesthetic ambition with practical considerations: it needed to be instantly recognizable as a commemorative issue, visually appealing as a keepsake, and technically feasible for production in quantities measured in tens of thousands. The three half dollar patterns document the design alternatives that were weighed against these competing demands before Keck's owl-and-Columbia design was selected.

Rarity Notes

R-7 (Extremely Rare). Pan-Pacific half dollar patterns are very scarce across all varieties.

Cross References

Judd J-1793, also cataloged as 1960