LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 April Rosemont, IL (CSNS) US Coin #1104  / 

2315

1878-S 50C XF40 PCGS

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:40,000.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1878-S 50C XF40 PCGS
<B>1878-S 50C XF40 PCGS.</B></I> The half dollars of 1878 mark a turning point for the Liberty Seated series of that denomination. The Philadelphia issue, with its mintage of over a million pieces, has a larger total production than all subsequent issues combined, and the Carson City and San Francisco coins were the last Seated halves struck outside the main Mint. The former pieces are elusive; the latter have been feted as rare in any grade.<BR> Passage of the Bland-Allison Act forced the various mints to strike silver dollars, even if this meant neglecting other denominations. Seated minor silver suffered; for the 1878-S issue, the recorded mintage is only 12,000 pieces. While the California economy of the time remained awash in gold, smaller denominations remained in high demand, and virtually all 1878-S halves entered circulation. Like other S-mint silver coins of previous years, the 1878-S faced heavy attrition; the combination of a small initial mintage and a low survival rate has made the 1878-S the key to the series, as noted by Wiley and Bugert in their <I>The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars</B></I>.<BR> Though the present piece has experienced a measure of circulation, it remains in better condition than the vast majority of examples. The highest elements of the central devices show only light wear, and the gold-kissed silver-gray surfaces retain a hint of luminosity. Light, scattered abrasions appear in the fields, yet this coin remains fundamentally pleasing. An excellent candidate to act as a cornerstone for a distinguished date set. Population: 1 in 40, 14 finer (2/08).<BR><I>From The Yoder Family Collection, Part One.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Coin Engraver:</B> Christian Gobrecht<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coins & Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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