1866 H10C MS(PCGS#4388)

August 2020 U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

2572

等级

MS65

价格

18,340

详细说明

1866 Liberty Seated Half Dime. V-1, the only known dies. Repunched Date. MS-65 (NGC). Beautifully toned surfaces are ringed in peripheral cobalt blue on the obverse that yields to lighter salmon pink toward the center. The equally attractive reverse exhibits champagne-pink peripheral toning around a brilliant center. Striking detail is razor sharp throughout the design, and we also note a full endowment of satin to softly frosted luster. Contrary to expectation, the end of the Civil War in 1865 did not result in the immediate return of gold and silver coinage to circulation in the East and Midwest. Instead, it took until April 20, 1876, for silver coins and Legal Tender notes to be exchangeable at par, which finally allowed eastern banks to resume specie payments. And regarding gold and paper currency, it wasn't until December 17, 1878, that the market achieved parity between the two. The reality for early Reconstruction era silver issues from the Philadelphia Mint such as the 1866 half dime was the continuation of limited mintages and withholding from immediate circulation. The circulation strike mintage for this issue is just 10,000 coins, and even worn survivors are elusive enough to merit a Rarity-4 rating from Al Blythe (1992). The author ranks Mint State coins Rarity-5+, no more than 22 examples in that group grading MS-65 or finer (per Q. David Bowers, 2016). This is one of the most attractive examples of this challenging issue that we have handled in recent years, and it is sure to have no difficulty finding its way into another advanced collection of Liberty Seated half dimes. Numismatic scholars have identified only a single die pairing for the 1866 half dime, which the Mint used to strike both Proofs and circulation strikes. The digits 18 in the date are repunched. The Henry Collection specimen also exhibits faint clash marks in the field on both sides, at the upper right on the obverse and on the reverse at the top and within the right portion of the wreath. Provenance: From the Henry Collection of Liberty Seated Half Dimes. NGC Census: 6; 14 finer in this category (MS-67 finest). PCGS# 4388. NGC ID: 234J. Click here for certification details from NGC.