1866-S H10C MS(PCGS#4389)

August 2020 U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

2573

等级

MS66

价格

50,019

详细说明

1866-S Liberty Seated Half Dime. V-1, the only known dies. Misplaced Date. MS-66 (PCGS). CAC. A simply lovely example, both sides are toned in soft, blended patina of champagne-pink, olive-gray, powder blue and pale gold. The luster is full with a frosty texture, and virtually all elements of the design exhibit razor sharp striking detail. Smooth in hand and exceptionally well preserved for this challenging issue. While the early Reconstruction era saw the continued withholding of silver coins from circulation in the East and Midwest, on the West Coast it was also business as usual with silver (and gold) coinage continuing to see widespread commercial use. In keeping with this situation, which had begun early in the Civil War, the San Francisco Mint produced more half dimes than the Philadelphia Mint for most years during the 1860s. In 1866 for example, the California branch mint struck 120,000 half dimes, compared to only 10,000 circulation strikes of this denomination at the main facility in Philadelphia. Yet even despite the disparity between these totals, both issues are of roughly equal rarity in both circulated and Mint State grades. Attrition through circulation and melting claimed much of the 1866-S mintage, EF to AU examples ranked Rarity-4 and Mint State survivors Rarity-5 (per Al Blythe, 1992). Solidly in the Condition Census, this beautiful premium Gem from the Henry Collection is one of just six to nine coins extant that grade MS-65 or finer (per Bowers, 2016). Outstanding! All known examples of the 1866-S half dime were struck from a blundered obverse die with traces of a misplaced 18 within the bottom of the drapery between the shield point and the pendant. Bold reverse clash marks are seen on the present coin at the top of the wreath and around the letters ME in DIME. Provenance: From the Henry Collection of Liberty Seated Half Dimes. Earlier ex Joseph O'Connor, November 2003; Eugene H. Gardner; Heritage's sale of the Eugene H. Gardner Collection, Part III, May 2015, lot 98182. The plate coin for the issue in Q. David Bowers' 2016 reference on Liberty Seated silver coins published by Whitman. PCGS Population: 4; 1 finer (MS-67). PCGS# 4389. NGC ID: 234K. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA.