1839 50C No Drapery, WB-101, Die Pair 4, R.4, MS65 PCGS....

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1839 No Drapery Half, MS65
Rare First-Year Gem

1839 50C No Drapery, WB-101, Die Pair 4, R.4, MS65 PCGS. The Liberty Seated design debuted on the silver dollars of 1836 with Flying Eagle reverse, spreading to the silver half dimes and dimes in 1837, the quarters of 1838, and the No Drapery half dollars of 1839, before finally ending up more than a quarter-century later on the obverse of the silver twenty cent pieces introduced in 1875. The Liberty Seated half dollar design lasted more than 50 years through 1891, although the No Drapery is a single-year type, and in extreme demand as such.

The mintage of No Drapery half dollars approached 2 million coins, but circulated examples prevail. Even pieces in the lower Mint State grades are rare. There are a few proofs known of the 1839 No Drapery, with fewer than a half-dozen examples known today.

Because the Seated series lasted so long, it remained familiar and unremarkable to collectors of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The series was viewed much as we think about our own long-lived coinage designs today. It was some time before collectors began to appreciate the inherent beauty of the design and the historic importance of these early examples. In the last few decades, as authors like Randy Wiley and Bill Bugert, and organizations like the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, have popularized the series and made it one of the most intensely studied areas of American numismatics.

The present coin is a spectacular Gem. The design elements are typically impressed, with attractive, softly frosted mint luster. Consistent with the grade, there are few obvious signs of contact. The only identifying blemish is a slight reeding mark near the reverse border near 8 o'clock. Each side displays medium-density reddish-golden patina, with accents of blue around the margins. There is no sign of the reverse die cracks that some business strikes and proofs alike exhibit. A memorable Seated half, not soon to be bettered among even the most advanced collectors. Population: 5 in 65 (2 in 65+), 0 finer (11/22).
Ex: Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2011), lot 5147; Philadelphia Signature (Heritage, 8/2012), lot 5150.
The Jim O'Neal Collection of U.S. Half Dollar Types.

Coin Index Numbers: (Variety PCGS# 801667, Base PCGS# 6230)

Weight: 13.36 grams

Metal: 90% Silver, 10% Copper

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