Owner Comments:
50C Morgan Head Pattern
Judd-1509, Pollock-1663
Rarity: Low R.7 PF62 Silvered
Struck in Copper with reeded Edge ( Then Silvered)
Obverse: A head of Liberty faces left, with the Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM inscribed along the upper border and the date 1877 at the lower border. Thirteen stars are arranged around the border between the motto and date, seven left, six right. Liberty is wearing a cap, the band of the cap ornamented with ears of wheat, cotton leaves and bolls. The portrait is virtually identical to that which the Mint used for regular issue Morgan dollar production beginning in 1878.
Reverse: An eagle is centered in a laurel wreath, and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST is in a straight line over the eagle head using Gothic letters. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is around the border and the denomination HALF DOLLAR below. Very similar to the designed used for the Morgan dollar a year later
Comment:
A full strike piece with gleaming fields and lightly frosted devices. The reverse yields faintly green, gold and rose hues along the border.
This piece was silvered, possibly at the mint to replicate a silver piece. While this would be unusual as it was common in these 1877 50C patterns to strike both silver and copper pieces. However, while the J-1508 (Silver pattern) is listed in Judd and Pollock, Uspatterns.com noted they believe none are in existence as there has been no record of such a piece in any transaction in 50 – 70 years. In fact, William Rue search of auction and fix price list dating back to 1900 had not listed any such silver piece. This adds to my belief that this piece may have been unique and silvered at the mint. Saul Techman adds that the only reference found for one of these silver pieces (J1508) was a checkmark by the A/W number in H.O. Granberg's deluxe copy of the Adams and Woodin book sold as part of the Harry Bass library by George Kolbe. This piece being the Stacks Oct 2000 piece weighing only 183.1 grains was silverplated (J1509/P1663) and may represent a reappearance of the Granberg piece now properly attributed as a J-1509.
Provenance/Appearance:
From a Private Transaction; prior Stacks Oct 2000 65th Anniversary Sale / Lot #1018