Object Details
- mint
- U.S. Mint, New Orleans
- designer
- Gobrecht, Christian
- Description (Brief)
- One (1) 50 cent coin, proof
- United States, 1838
- Obverse Image: Left-facing bust of Liberty wearing a cap. 13 stars along coin edge.
- Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1838 / O
- Reverse Image: Eagle with wings outstretched clutching arrows and branch in talons, shield over chest.
- Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / HALF DOL.
- Description
- In 1835, Congress amended American coining laws. These laws made numismatic history. Three branches of the United States Mint were established. Two were in the southern Piedmont region, at Charlotte, North Carolina and Dahlonega, Georgia. These facilities were intended for the coinage of gold.
- The third branch was set up at New Orleans, Louisiana, hundreds of miles from any mining activity, but the major port of entry for gold and silver coinage shipped in from Mexico and points south. It is estimated that twenty 1838-dated half dollars were struck in proof, perhaps at the beginning of the following year. Numismatist and U.S. coin encyclopedist Walter Breen believed they were minted to test the coining capabilities of a new large press. But they also could have been intended as presentation pieces. We know of eleven survivors. We don't know what happened to the other nine.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Mint
- 1838
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0295
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0295
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- Object Name
- coin
- Physical Description
- silver (overall metal)
- 0 (overall die axis)
- 0 (overall die axis measurement)
- struck (overall production method)
- Measurements
- overall: .2 cm x 3 cm; 3/32 in x 1 3/16 in
- place of issue
- United States
- Related Publication
- Glossary of Coins and Currency Terms
- Related Web Publication
- http://americanhistory.si.edu/coins/glossary.cfm
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
- Coins, Currency and Medals
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_1077686
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-d1d9-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
