3550

[L#3550] 1837 RE 50c NGC MS65

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:1,875.00 USD Estimated At:7,500.00 - 12,000.00 USD
[L#3550] 1837 RE 50c NGC MS65
Warm golden gray surfaces exhibit smooth cartwheel finish and a satiny, matte-like appearance, with the toning medium-quality in the left obverse but then developing wonderful rich shades of purple-gray, russet and steel blue iridescence atop Liberty's cap and surrounding all stars on the right side. Immeasurably sharper and crisper in detail than average for this Reeded Edge type, we can point to full hair curls, a detailed drapery and sharp oval clasp at the shoulder as just a few of the main elements placing this squarely in the Gem class.

Half dollars of this particular design were struck for only a short time (1836 and 1837), with most of them bearing the 1837 date. Years ago such examples were more plentiful on the market and it would not be unusual for a coin seller to have two or three low-level Mint State pieces in stock, probably equal to what we would call MS-62 and MS-63 today. Now with the tremendous popularity of numismatics and the widespread disappearance of examples, even a coin that grades Mint State 60 is not often seen. In the elite grade of Mint State 65 this date emerges as a rarity. The head of Liberty for the short-lived 1836-39 type was engraved by Christian Gobrecht after models by his predecessor William Kneass (who, in 1835, suffered a debilitating stroke and was unable to complete his duties).