| Description: |
Copper. Reeded edge. George T. Morgan's head of Liberty to left, essentially as adopted
for the Morgan silver dollars of the following year, 1878, with a standing eagle clutching
branch and arrows on reverse, shield and wreath background. Deep chestnut in the fields
with lighter rose, carmine, gold, and sea blue highlights on both sides. An outstanding
gem specimen of this great rarity in the pattern half dollar series, one of just two
examples known to exist. The other example is in the Byron Reed Collection housed at the
Durham Western Heritage Museum in Omaha, Nebraska, and is currently unavailable to
numismatists. The present specimen, the only available example of J-1507, has graced such
fine collections as that of Brand, Farouk, Cox, Champa, Sieck, and Fred in recent decades.
The pattern half dollar issues of 1877 represent perhaps the most prolific era in pattern
manufacturing, and of all the half dollars struck that year, this gem example of J-1507
certainly must be one of the most exciting rarities of the date. In form true to its
nearly unique status, the present gem is the only example of J-1507 certified by PCGS
within any grade, and no example of J-1507 has been certified by any other leading
third-party grading service. Regarding the intricate reverse design, "a seven-sided
shield was in the works by February 1877 when Morgan sent pencil sketches to the mint
director Henry Linderman," according to the uspatterns.com website, where Morgan's
sketches for the reverse are on display. Here, then, is an opportunity for an advanced
specialist or half dollar devotee to obtain a coin that is essentially unique in collector
hands.PCGS Population: 1; no other certified in any grade.From Thomas Elder's sale, May
1908, Lot 550 (?); Virgil Brand Collection; Sotheby's Sale of the Palace Collection
(Farouk), February 1954, Lot: 1971; Stack's Cox Sale, April 1962, Lot: 2263; Abe Kosoff's
1966 ANA Sale, Lot: 1213; Coronet Coin FPL; Bowers and Ruddy's Sale of the Armand Champa
Collection, May 1972, Lot: 1061; Bowers and Ruddy's Sale of the Rudy Sieck Collection,
July 1981, Lot: 230; Bowers and Merena's Sale of the Fred and Ward Collections, November
1995, Lot: 2275. |
