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1/2 Dollar '1859' Pattern, copper
| Issuer | United States Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1859 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | 30 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The denomination 1/2 over DOLLAR is displayed in bold Roman lettering at the center of the field, enclosed within an elaborate agricultural or cereal wreath composed of corn, wheat, and oak leaves tied at the base. A beaded inner border runs along the periphery, with the wreath elements rendered in high relief and exceptional detail, consistent with a proof pattern striking. |
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| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
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| Additional information |
Judd-240 belongs to a remarkably productive year for U.S. pattern coinage — 1859 saw the Mint experimenting heavily with both designs and alloys as part of ongoing efforts to reform the cent, but the half dollar patterns from that year reflect a separate institutional habit of testing alternative compositions on higher denominations with no serious prospect of adoption. Copper at this size was never a genuine candidate for circulation; these were almost certainly produced for sale to contemporary collectors, a practice the Mint conducted openly and profitably throughout the 1850s and 1860s.
Surviving examples are typically found in near-pristine condition for exactly that reason.