USA ½ dollar Seated Liberty Half Dollar 1876
USA, Philadelphia
Rarity
Extremely Rare
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | ½ dollar |
| Krause number | KM# A99 |
| Mintage | 1,150 |
| Metal | Silver 0.900 |
| thickness | 2 mm |
| diameter | 30.6 mm |
| weight | 12.5 g |
Obverse:
Liberty
Star
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
LIBERTY
Reverse:
Coat of arms
Creators:
Christian Gobrecht
HALF DOL.
IN GOD WE TRUST
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
Proof coin sales rose dramatically in 1876, as Americans sought commemoratives of the nation's centennial. Many of these additional proofs were sold to tourists visiting the Philadelphia Mint as part of their journey to that city's centennial exposition. Examples of the 1876 proof half dollar are a bit more common than surrounding dates, but the number of certified gems is not measurably different. It's likely that the coins sold to non-numismatists as centennial souvenirs were mishandled over the years and possibly even spent. The number of Cameo pieces is higher than the norm, but again few of these are gems. All 1876 proof halves were coined with dies taken from the old reverse hub of 1866. These coins were delivered in two batches, 580 in the first quarter of the year and 940 in the second, according to Walter Breen. His total of 1520 proofs is in conflict with some other sources, and the lower figure shown here represents confirmed sales of silver proof sets (cent through half dollar). To show how difficult it is to arrive at an accurate count, Breen postulated that some of the sets delivered during 1876 were of coins dated 1875!Read More
