1
231
bid online at
(800) 978-COIN (2646)
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Session Four - Tuesday, June 3, 2014 6:00 PM
1869 P
ATTERN
H
ALF
D
OLLAR
1633
1869 Pattern Half Dollar. Aluminum, Plain Edge.
Judd-753. Pollock-836 High Rarity 7
.
PCGS graded
Proof 65
. Tied for Finest at PCGS. Unsurpassable in terms
of surface preservation, both sides are thickly frosted and
essentially tone-free. The devices were struck smack on the
dot at the required force by the Pattern Proof dies leaving
all design elements plain and trim, clear-cut, with not even
one iota of weakness as found on some examples of the
various STANDARD and STANDARD SILVER types parading
around in the same numerical grade.
During the late-nineteenth Century it began to occur to the
Treasury Department that a subsidiary coinage -- i.e., one
in which there is less than full metallic value relative to face
value -- was acceptable to the public at large. The reason-
ing behind this was the public's ready acceptance of Civil
War tokens, shin plasters (private bank notes), and Frac-
tional Currency, none of which had any intrinsic value and
yet circulated widely. Patterns such as this may have been
the American government's first venture into issuing token
coinage. By the 1890s, with silver's price declining fast, our
fractional denominations had become true token coinage
(although still minted in precious metal). It was not until
1965 when clad coins arrived that the government com-
pleted the process. (The next iteration being discussed
non-publicly and site-tested is rumored to be steel alloy
coins to replace the current dime, quarter, and half dollar
sandwich pieces.)
Pop 2; none finer at PCGS
. (
PCGS #
60982
)
Estimated Value ........................................ $5,000 - 5,500
1634
1870 Pattern Dime. Aluminum, Reeded Edge. Judd-847.
Pollock-947 High Rarity 7
.
PCGS graded Proof 64
.
Untoned with some minor discoloration. One of the group of
STANDARD silver doin proposals, the obverse bears a head of
Liberty facing right, wearing a diadem, a plain ribbon encircling
the hair; IN GOD WE TRUST on a scroll below. Reverse with 10
CENTS 1870 within a wreath of cotton and corn; STANDARD
above. Very rare in aluminum!
Pop 2; 1 finer in 65
. (
PCGS #
61091
)
Note: The year 1870 marks the appearance of the "Standard"
reverses for the silver coins from the half dime to the dollar.
Probably because of lack of time to prepare suitable obverse
dies, these reverses were combined with the obverses of 1869
and a new seated Liberty design by William Barber. When this
reverse design was combined with the Barber obverse design
for the quarter, half and silver dollar and with the Longacre
design for a silver dollar, unintentional mules resulted since
United States of America does not appear on either side. The
"Standard Silver" series of dimes, quarters and half dollars of
1869 were again issued dated 1870.
Estimated Value ..............................................$3,500 - 3,700
Ex: Simpson Collection
.
