NNP

1863 50C Half Dollar, Judd-342, Pollock-414, R.7, PR66 NGC. Design. The obverse is the regular dies Seated Liberty half dollar design, and the reverse is the regular With Motto design that was introduced in 1866. The date slopes down slightly from left to right. The first three vertical shield stripes on the reverse are thin and spindly; the last three stripes are bold and heavy. Commentary. The 1863 through 1865 With Motto half dollar patterns are almost certainly products of later years, likely from the early 1870s. Exact dating would rely on reverse die characteristics that appear on regular issue proofs of the later years. Aside from the distinctive shield stripes, there are no unusual reverse die traits to use for comparison. Physical Description. This splendid half dollar pattern has sky-blue and reddish-gold toning over pewter-gray surfaces with bold design features and fully mirrored fields. The devices are softly lustrous, but little contrast is present. Provenance. "Colonel" E.H.R. Green; Green Estate; Partnership of Eric P. Newman / B.G. Johnson d.b.a. St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.; Eric P. Newman @ $50; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. From The Eric P. Newman Collection.

From Newman I (Heritage Auctions, 4/2013), lot 3940, realized $9400.00. Image and description courtesy of Heritage Auctions, https://ha.com.