1839 50C Capped Bust MS(PCGS#6179)

Summer 2025 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

3071

等级

MS66

价格

222,791

详细说明

This softly lustrous, satin-textured example delivers exceptionally smooth surfaces for a half dollar of this brief and conditionally challenged design type. The nearly pristine complexion is overlaid in gently mottled toning of light to medium golden-russet, olive and steely-charcoal shades. A few trivial obverse marks over and behind Liberty's bust require magnification to discern, allowing the unaided eye to focus on sharply struck design elements alongside the aforementioned luster and toning. A handsome piece fit for inclusion in a high grade certified type set.<p>In 1838 the half dollar was subject to additional design modifications that followed on those made in 1836, when the Mint adopted a steam powered press and close collar for production of this denomination. This time the reverse design was modified to read HALF DOL., likely to bring it more in line with the quarter. The design was replaced in 1839 by the highly successful Liberty Seated design. At the Philadelphia Mint, 3,546,000 half dollars were struck in 1838 and an additional 1,392,976 examples of the Capped Bust design type were produced in 1839. Since silver dollars were practically unknown in everyday commerce aside from Spanish-American dollars, the half dollar was one of the preferred silver coins for banks to hold in vaults, usually in large bags, resulting in significant bagmarks and scuffs on most Mint State survivors.<p>As with many of the half dollars from the period, the 1838 is available with relative ease through the lower end of Mint State, but is seldom found above MS-63. The 1839 is very much the scarcer of these two Capped Bust issues, and due to the brevity of the design, both half dollar enthusiasts and better date type collectors are always on the lookout for premium examples of this issue, creating continual pressure for the few remaining Gems. An assemblage of high quality Mint State half dollars from 1836 to 1839 showing the transition from the Capped Bust to the Liberty Seated design would be most impressive and a worthy challenge for an advanced numismatist.