1829 H10C PR(PCGS#4294)

1829 H10C PR (PCGS#4294)

August 2011 Chicago ANA - Rarities Night

详细说明: 1829 Capped Bust Half Dime. V-7, LM-1. Rarity-7+ (as a proof). Proof-64 (NGC). As half dime coinage finally resumed in 1829, after a hiatus from 1805, the Philadelphia Mint coined a number of proof half dimes of which 20-30 survive today to commemorate the occasion. This is one of the finer ones to come down to us today, with glorious deep blue and violet toning in the fields while the frosted devices boast silver-steel in contrast. Clean surfaces that invite scrutiny, where a strong loupe will find little to fault and much to enjoy. The strike is exceptionally sharp, although the vertical shield lines merge into broad folds. An elegant coin that represents considerable history and an important early proof rarity in any grade. Numismatic Reflections by Q. David Bowers Early in the morning of July 4, 1829 at the Philadelphia Mint craftsmen were busy striking half dimes of the Capped Bust motif. While this design had been used elsewhere in other denominations as early as 1807, this was its initial appearance in the silver five-cent series, the last half dime had been struck in 1805. The occasion on July 4, 1829 was the cornerstone laying of the Second Philadelphia Mint. Dignitaries and others were on hand, and while no documentation has been seen, and we like to avoid guesswork, it seems probable that this coin was created as a presentation piece.