1855-S 50C WB-4 Arrows Large S MS(PCGS#800757)

November 2019 Baltimore U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

7237

等级

XF45

价格

25,321

详细说明

1855-S Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Arrows. WB-4. Rarity-5. EF-45 (PCGS). Untoned silver white surfaces retain bold to sharp striking detail over virtually all design elements. An area of light tooling in the lower right obverse field is noted, probably an effort t o remove a spot or some other blemish. The significance of this issue for the advanced Liberty Seated collector cannot be overstated. From a mintage of 129,950 pieces, there are probably only 200 to 300 extant in all grades, and most of these are well worn in grades such as AG, Good and VG. Demand for silver coins during the Gold Rush in California was extremely high, and silver bullion could not be purified to the exacting standards required for coinage without the necessary parting acids -- in short supply as the Gold Rush tested the fragile delivery systems then in place from East to West. The incoming director of the Mint in 1854, James Ross Snowden, sent pairs of half dollar dies to the San Francisco Mint that year, but these were not used for coinage. At last a local source was found that could supply the necessary parting acids and coinage of half dollars began in 1855. To celebrate, three Proofs were struck of this denomination, one resides at the Smithsonian, the other two are in private hands. The circulation strike mintage largely entered commerce through normal channels, where most coins were worn out and subsequently lost. High grade circulated survivors such as this are rare and enjoy even greater demand due to that fact that the 1855-S is not only the first San Francisco Mint half dollar issue, but also the only one of the Arrows, No Motto Liberty Seated design type. Provenance: From the E. Horatio Morgan Collection. PCGS# 800757. Click here for certification details from PCGS.