US Patterns- WHAT U.S. COINAGE COULD HAVE BEEN
J-964 50C - Standard Silver Liberty Head with Cap and 2 Stars Liberty Incuse Lettering Rev: Date Outside of Wreath

Owner Comments:

1870 50C
Judd-964, Pollock-1060.
Rarity Low R.7, PR64 Cam

Struck in silver with a plain edge.

Obverse: A bust of Liberty faces right and is surrounded by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. She wears a headband inscribed LIBERTY, and has a large star on her forehead. IN GOD WE TRUST is below with in a scroll.

Reverse: The denomination 50 CENTS in the center of a wreath of oak and laurel. The date 1870 is below and outside of the wreath and boarder on each side by a star The inscription “STANDARD SILVER” is above the wreath above.

Comment:
Iridescent champagne-pink peripheral toning frames otherwise brilliant surfaces on both sides of this beautiful near-Gem. Fully struck with strong cameo contrast and a pleasingly smooth appearance in hand. A very scarce type, Judd-964 has an extant population of fewer than half a dozen specimens per the uspatterns.com website.

Provenance:
Stacks and Bowers Aug 2019 ANA - Session 5 - U.S. Coins Part 4 - Lot 3393
While is appears most J-964 have some degree of die rotation … this die is about 170 Deg and combined with the description ( Black and White photo is hard to tell) this maybe the reference piece in Ira and Larry Goldberg Feb 2001 / Lot 3902 and the reference Pollock piece noted as Stacks 1973 Lot 356