US Patterns- WHAT U.S. COINAGE COULD HAVE BEEN
J-244 50C - French Liberty Head (Eagle reverse no ribbon Struck in Copper

Owner Comments:

Obverse: Longacre's "French Head" Liberty faces right with a oaks and vine wreath in her hair. A ribbon below the bust is inscribed LIBERTY, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around, and the date below.
Reverse: Features the regular Seated half dollar reverse die with a spread wing eagle clutching 3 arrows in its talon - type II with the letters LF in HALF spaced apart at the top ( vs the type I where that nearly touch).

Comments:
About a half dozen patterns of this die combination are known in total for both the silver (J243) and copper. USPatterns.com notes that one of the copper examples "is struck from a planchet which had an incused head of Washington on it." This is that famous and well-pedigreed example.
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Norman Stack noted the feature as early as 1954, writing in the Anderson-Dupont catalog:

"Listed as A.W. 302. This differs, however, in having at center of reverse an impression from a bust of Washington like that on the nickels of 1866. We do not know how this was superimposed on the regular design. Should be seen by every collector of Washington items. Possibly Unique.“

Dave Bowers examination of this piece states "under magnification reveals two incised circles that surround the sunken portrait, intended for inscription to be added, at the center of which a deep impression was punched of the portrait of Washington. The diameter of the circles indicate that the impression was indeed intended for the five Cent piece (being too small for the Two-cent piece). Most probably, had this trial been carried to completion, letters would have been added and an impression taken in was to see what the finished results would be. As it turned out, all that was done was to scribe two lines and to affix the punch. The disc was then kept on hand, and probably inadvertently used to produce the present coin, circa 1865-1866. The obverse of the present coin, when examined under reflective light, shows a somewhat irregular outline in the field and may indicate an additional use of the other side of the planchet for some pattern or experimental purpose, which cannot be determined to day"

Both sides are largely copper-orange with mellowed violet patina in the fields. A handful of small ticks and planchet flakes are noted. Otherwise clean.