Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 36

Pre-Long Beach Coin and Currency Auction

Seated Liberty Half Dollars

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 2923		1846 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Medium date. NGC graded Proof 62. Light irregular gold toning. Light to moderate marks on both sides. Nicely toned and refreshingly clean for this issue, with shimmering luster in the fields and contrasting lightly frosted devices. The fields are silver to russet brown in color, and smooth-mirrored with much underlying freshness. Now and then some hairlines, but no obvious signs of mishandling. A munificent strike, as well as freedom from the usual weak centers typical for an early Proof issue, gives this 1846 Proof an advantage where insufficient die pressure occurs all too often. And that is why this is a coin to jump at before it's sale is history. Certification data would suggest an extant population of 10-15 pieces. Pop 2; 7 finer at PCGS. Estimated Value $8,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,775
Lot 2924		1855-O Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Arrows. PCGS graded MS-63. Frosty toned coin. The surfaces are choice and lustrous with each side's pitching luster fresh, original, as it swirls and alternates between lighter and darker hues of toning. This is a generally well-struck example of the Type with good details. It has no bothersome heavy abrasions or points of wear but as is often the case, the dies left their partly rigid impression behind with some modest flattening on the stars, Liberty's chest area, and also a little imprecision on UNITED STATES in the reverse legend. The large O mintmark for New Orleans sits in the space between the branch end and HALF DOL. Pop 39; 85 finer. (PCGS # 6283) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,300. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,380
Lot 2925		1856 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 64 Cameo. Well struck and mostly white. Scarce date in Proof. What one sees usually on this mint's coinage is an unconvincing impression left by the recoil of the dies; greatly to our pleasure and the bidders' enjoyment, on the other hand, that is not the case with this rare 1856 No Motto half. The coin is sharp, very sharp, in fact. A nearly gem quality white surface example, with great mirrors and nice fresh mint bloom allows for hours of enjoyment. And just pause for a moment to think about the fact this coin was sold two years prior to the time the mint first offered Proof coins to collectors. Only an occasional visitor to the Philadelphia Mint walked away with a Proof single or (very rarely) with a Proof run of denominations. The coin's appeal is, and always will be, irresistible. All you will have to do will be to see that the bid is for the right figure and to supervise the placing of the coin into the mail for delivery to your address. Pop 2; none finer in Cameo at PCGS. (PCGS # 86410) . The 1856 half dollar was considered a rarity even in the early years of coin collecting. Many early Proofs have been mishandled, cleaned or "improved" (usually disastrously so) since then. The 1856 Proof 64 offered here is exceptionally choice, far better than anything you will likely ever own! Estimated Value $10,000 - 14,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $12,075
Lot 2926		1856-O Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded MS-66. A spectacular coin. Well struck and shimmering with luster. Natural hues of violet and blue grace the surfaces on both sides. Fully original with warm silvery radiance underneath the beautiful multicolor overlay. Pop 3; none finer. Those who visit New Orleans, where this lovely half dollar was minted in 1856, will likely see the famous equestrian statue in Jackson Square. The monument is to Andrew Jackson, savior of New Orleans in the battle of for that city in 1815. The statue was erected in 1856. Is it possible there could be some 1856-O coinage buried underneath or in the "time capsule" within its base? Makes a person wonder. Estimated Value $7,500 - 8,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,200
Lot 2927		1858 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 65. Exquisite blue and gold toning on both sides. Approximately 300 proofs minted. A nicely struck coin. A simply exquisite Gem of this very difficult Proof, the beautifully toned surfaces are glowing with full, mirror-smooth effects. As to the important strike, mathematically exact standards seen in the sharp centers, making this date noteworthy since "average" detail in the key high points is more often the case. Pop 6; 2 in 66; 1 in 67; 1 in 68. Estimated Value $9,000 - 11,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2928		1858 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 64. Light gold and blue toning. Has a cameo effect. Approx 300 proofs struck. A satiny frosted gem with dynamic mirrors and rich champagne brown to blue-iridescent toning. This is among the scarcer No Motto issues because it is the first year that the mint actively sought coin collectors to purchase Proof sets. As a result, the coins were often better struck than before to ensure that the collectors would return each year. This is an exceptionally attractive 1858 Proof that should result in active bidding. Pop 9; 10 finer at NGC. (PCGS # 6412) . Estimated Value $5,000 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $5,750
Lot 2929		1861 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 65. Wonderful multicolor toning. 1,000 proofs issued. Glittering and fully lustrous with a near-perfect strike to accompany the flashy smooth mirrors. Unlike the general run of Proofs of this decade, the strike is thoroughly convincing in all places, even where some weakness is occasionally found at head and portions of the eagle. Pop 8; 2 in 66; variety rare in high grade proof. (PCGS # 6415) . Estimated Value $4,000 - 4,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 2930		1861 CSA Token B-8003 White Metal. NGC graded MS-62 PQ. Scott Token obverse, Confederate reverse. Only 500 struck. Pop 9 with 17 rated finer. Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,500. The Emile A. Tartakow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,565
Lot 2931		1861 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 64 Cameo. Lovely blue and golden toning on both sides. 1,0000 proofs minted. Milky white devices swirl with mirror luster lapping at the shore giving a nice cameo contrast to the whole ensemble. Unlike most which are not quite fully struck, this handsome 1861 dances with precision minting, and shows all regions crisply detailed including the centers. The color is, of course, its main attraction, with intense radiation of numerous hues emitting from the surface like a nuclear reaction. 1861 is an historic year in American history, one of those watershed events that often get glossed over in state-sponsored school history classes. Much was going on beneath the surface to turn America away from its limited-government heritage as a Republic of "states rights" to a unified, centralized nation-state. Pop 4; none finer at PCGS. (PCGS # 86415) . Estimated Value $2,500 - 2,900. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,038
Lot 2932		1862 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 65. Boldly struck with a hint of light golden tone. A flashy, fully struck, and thoroughly outstanding Gem Proof of the scarce early Civil War period No Motto design. Struck with exactitude rarely found on even this year's production, which tended to be crisply detailed as a rule. Only 550 proofs issued. Pop 14; 2 in 66; 1 in 67. (PCGS # 6416) . Estimated Value $4,500 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $7,188
Lot 2933		1863 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 67 Cameo. Well struck and mostly untoned with a hint of light gold toning. The surfaces are beautifully fresh, shimmering in originality, and quite smoothly mirrored. No one needs reminding that an occasional weak impression was left following the rebound of the dies that struck the desirable No Motto Proofs; however, in the present coin, the opposite holds, the devices show terrific detail and a clear, bold strike. When first endeavoring to buy a top quality Proof 1863, it is hard at first, desperately hard, to understandy why, with 460 Proofs minted, there wouldn't be a larger population of Gem quality coins from which to choose. Many, discovering this, fail to resist the impulse not to go with something of lesser quality. But why do so when this superb cameo Proof 67 beckons? Pop 1; 1 in PF-68 Cameo as finest graded. Estimated Value $12,000 - 15,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $13,800
Lot 2934		1863-S Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded MS-63. Well struck. Fully lustrous and untoned. The silvery color is especially vivid on the main devices and swirling throughout the fields on both sides. All this is perhaps obvious from the photos. What we need to emphasize also is that the strike is uncharacteristically crisp and detailed for the issue with the outstanding sharp metal flows into the deepest recesses of the dies on both sides. Pop 21; 10 in 64; 1 in 65. (PCGS # 6310) . Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,400. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 2935		1866 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. With motto. NGC graded Proof 65 Cameo. Beautifully toned at the edge. Pop 6; 2 better. Silver fresh mirror luster radiates from the surfaces of this attractive coin with its lovely cameo frosted devices. Where a collector might expect to see the usual deviation in the sharp relief, even on a Proof and mainly in the centers of the coin where the design sometimes failed to completely fill the dies, this standout specimen takes the opposite road by being boldness personified! It is also scarce, with Proof mintage of 725 pieces. Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,300. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $7,475
Lot 2936		1867 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 66 Cameo. Well struck and mostly white. Only 625 proofs minted. Fully struck on each side, the brilliant surfaces have a sheet of silvery mirror sparkle that glows and is uninterrupted by any noticeable abrasions. Those who tend to favor Proofs with a nice robustness, take heart, since this is an exceptional coin and not the usual run-of-the-mill strike. It is, indeed, very bold. A coin of this quality quickly convinces us that the only answer to the dilemma of whether to place a bid or not is to go with your first hunch and to post a strong bid while the opportunity allows. Pop 2; none finer at PCGS in PF Cameo. (PCGS # 86425) . Estimated Value $5,000 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,900
Lot 2937		1868 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 65 Cameo. Mostly white with gold toning near the edges. 600 proofs minted. Satin devices that are almost frosted with pleasant, glowing silver color balanced by sleek watery mirrors with almost infinite depth. Full and glittering with the only color at the extreme margin on both sides. So much, then, for the luster. As for the devices, these were struck with sufficient power by the specially made Proof dies that they left all design elements showing, and showing clearly, unlike many where a few areas mushy. Proofs in this period were struck on the mint's special hydraulic press used for the high relief Mint Medals and similar items requiring a high-impact "squeeze" from the dies, rather than the usual stamping or pounding for the commercial strikes meant to circulate. Pop 2; 2 in 65 Cameo Star; 1 in 66 Cameo Star; 1 in 67 Cameo Star. Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,300. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2938		1870 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 64. Lovely blue and golden toning. Well struck. 1,000 proofs minted. This is a radiant toned Proof, both sides being essentially matched for their peripheral color and with lightly frosted, silver-white luster on the devices. Deep, swirling mirrors surround with only a random hairline or two present. As we see it, when it comes to the centers of the obverse and reverse, the strike is above-average, sharp, and well defined in all areas, including both shields and all of the eagle's feathers, although some lack of detailing in the vertical stripes of the reverse shield may point to excessive die polishing at the time the die was being prepared for use. Pop 46; 11 in 65; 4 in 66. (PCGS # 6428) . Many collectors like to associate their numismatic interest with what was going on in the country when their coins were struck. Having that in mind, 1870 was a cheerless year for the Southern states as it saw the death of their beloved General Robert E. Lee. His passing was like a door silently closing on one era and another opening onto the next. This next was America's rocket ride to industrial prominence and glory in the ensuing quarter century, but the South, which Lee epitomized, would languish under the iron fist of the carpetbaggers and "Reconstruction" for agonizing years longer. Estimated Value $1,600 - 1,800. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,070
Lot 2939		1870-CC Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded EF-45. Problem free. Light grey toning. Pop 6; 9 better. A carefully preserved specimen with nice original toning that graces the pale gray surfaces. Nicely struck for this key issue, indeed, with all major design elements clear. The 1870 Carson City mint coinage of every denomination, silver or gold, is considered scarce to rare, and under intense collector demand. It has been for decades and decades, and will likely continue so into the distant future. Only 54,617 minted (PCGS # 6328) . Estimated Value $15,000 - 17,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 2940		1871 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 67 Cameo. Well struck and white. Only 960 proofs minted. The powerfully impressive, lustrous mirrors are readily appreciable at all angles. This is an important issue among Gem quality type collectors, especially when displaying smooth "cameo frosted" devices. The strike as keen as a razor on this 1871 Proof as well. In the days when this piece was minted, there were only a few thousand collectors in America. Today, with millions of potential buyers for such a piece, the interest is heightened year by year, while the supply of true Gem Proof 67 examples declines as coins are taken off the market by collectors building date runs of these imposing coins. Do you imagine that there will be a single individual in this sale, either in the room or bidding online or by phone, with the blindness not to fall in love with the present low-population coin? Then bid with determination since that is what it will take to own it. Pop 2; none finer in Proof Cameo at NGC. Estimated Value $8,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,775
Lot 2941		1871 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 66 Cameo. Fully white and well struck. Only 960 proofs minted. A gorgeously bright Proof with frosted devices and impossibly deep mirrored fields that are vivid, almost black and absorbing pools for light falling on them. The strike is sharply defined. A few trivial hairlines on both sides but so tiny as to be nonexistent. Nothing but nothing detracts from the enormous eye appeal of this 1871 Proof. Pop 3; 2 in 67 Cameo. Estimated Value $4,000 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2942		1872 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 66 Ultra Cameo. Well struck and fully white. 950 proofs minted. Likely an early strike from fresh Proof dies, judging from the details. The surfaces are bright silver, with smooth mirrors for the field topped by satin "ultra cameo" devices. The combination of the two is virtually without precedent on an 1872 Proof. This is also a well-struck example with razor-sharp details. It has no bothersome abrasions, toning spots, or points of weakness nor even a sign that quality control had lapsed the day it was made. Pop 1; 1 in 67 Ultra Cameo. NGC has graded 2 in Ultra Cameo Proofs. Estimated Value $9,000 - 11,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $12,075
Lot 2943		1873 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. No arrows, closed 3. NGC graded Proof 67. Lovely rainbow toning on the obverse while the reverse shows rich gold and blue colors. Only 600 proofs minted. One would be hard pressed to find survivors of this Proof 1873 half dollar issue that are more stunning than the present specimen with its colorful patina. Whereas many survivors of the 1873 No Arrows are dullish or show uneven, uninspiring color, the present example is most praiseworthy for the rich colors. They explode like a Fourth of July fireworks display into bright crimson red with purple, gold to orange, and on to blue iridescence at the edge, the reverse, as described, a perfect blend of gold and blue. The inventory of colors is nonstop. What's more, the key devices which have to compete with this color for your attention, are themselves outstanding. Fully brought up with light mint frost, the devices seem to float atop the illimitable depth of reflectivity in the fields. Now that is a mouthful, and we beg your pardon, but the coin deserves no less. Lastly, there are no inconvenient post-production marks or defects to make the true connoisseur turn his head. Everything is pristine and beautiful. Tied for the finest of only two Proof 1873 No Arrows halves in this grade. Pop 2; none higher. Estimated Value $12,000 - 14,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $13,800
Lot 2944		1873 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Arrows. NGC graded Proof 66 Cameo. A fully white coin. Only 550 proofs minted. Fully lustrous -- an important consideration and rare feature for this not all that well preserved With Arrows issue -- the surfaces display dominant pearl-white color with strong contrast between the fields and frosted design elements. Clear-cut devices, in fact, point to it having been giving a full, clear blow by the dies. Weakness often occurs at a few central locations on most of this issue, mainly at Liberty's upper body and on the eagle's neck or wing, but not on this handsome piece. Most collectors start out buying mid-priced circulated coins. They then gradually acquire a taste for choicer pieces, and, if the means exist, end up hankering for one of these marvelous Gem Proofs. When we saw this 1873 With Arrows specimen for the first time, like a flash it came upon us that here is one of the most attractive 1873 halves of them all. We expect that the coin's next owner will never want to see the low side of Proof collecting again after obtaining this beauty. Pop 5; 1 in 66 Star Cameo as best at NGC. Estimated Value $13,000 - 15,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $14,950
Lot 2945		1873-CC Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Arrows. NGC graded MS-64. Well struck and frosty. A satiny silver gray specimen with faint golden zephyr-like wisps of iridescence on both sides. Nicely struck for the date, certainly much more carefully made than many parading around, and worthy of strong bidder consideration. The arrows at the date occur in 1873 and 1874, creating a scarce two-year Type in the seated Liberty half dollar series. The 1873-CC issue is extremely desirable, and in this condition, almost unobtainable without waiting years for the next offering. A landmark coin in this condition! Pop 5; 2 in 65; none finer at NGC. (PCGS # 6344) . Despite all of the later rhetoric by advocates of free silver coinage (primarily in 1876-1877), the 1873 Coinage Act actually favored silver coinage. It did abolish the silver dollar (which was not in circulation anyway), the three-cent silver (trime), and the half dime, but the latter two were of little importance considering the new five-cent pieces of copper-nickel. The two cent piece also was abolished but this made no stir, then or later. In line with the metric five-cent piece of 1866 (copper-nickel), the legislators made the minor silver coins into even metric weights by adding a tiny amount of silver -- less than one-half of one percent. The change was marked in 1873 and 1874 by the addition of arrows at the date. Estimated Value $20,000 - 23,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $23,000
Lot 2946		1873-CC Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Arrows. ANACS graded AU-50. Mostly untoned and a frosty example of this key issue. The With Arrows Type occurs only in 1873 and 1874. On top of that is the fact the CC-mint issues are both exceedingly scarce in all grades and you have a coin with a rich foundation looking forward to a bright future. The pressure transmitted from the die to the blank reveals itself in sharp stars, shields, and main design components on both sides. Only 214,560 of the Arrows half dollars were struck at Carson City in 1873 (PCGS # 6344) . Estimated Value $2,500 - 2,700. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 2947		1874 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Arrows. PCGS graded Proof 65 Cameo. Lovely multicolor toning on both sides. Only 700 proofs minted. Gorgeous surfaces that show absolutely no signs of handling or any similar problem. Wonderfully toned with blues and dark crimson to gold, and we note some lighter rose hues within the amalgam of color. A rare Proof two-year type coin, and certainly one of the most impressive Proof 65s known; in fact, the PCGS Population Report shows this is tied with only two others in the grade, a remarkable achievement. A coin for the finest Proof type set in the land. The arrows variety with motto were made for just 1873 and 1874, and in very limited quantities. To locate a high end gem is almost a Sisyphean task, so don't pass this one by. Pop 3; None finer at PCGS. (PCGS # 86435) . Despite all of the later rhetoric by backers of free silver coinage (primarily in 1876-1877), the 1873 Coinage Act actually favored silver coinage. It did abolish the silver dollar (which had not circulated anyway), the three-cent silver, and the half dime, but the latter were of little use considering the new five-cent shield nickels. The two cent piece also was abolished under this act. In line with the metric five-cent piece of 1866 (copper-nickel), the legislators made the minor silver coins into even metric weights by adding a tiny amount of silver less than one-half of one percent. The change was marked in 1873 and 1874 by the addition of arrows at the date. The major point of the legislation of 1873 was the Trade dollar. Although the Treasury was empowered to set a slight fee for costs of coining, the bullion depositor was able to bring his bullion to the mints for conversion into Trade dollars. Estimated Value $10,000 - 14,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $14,375
Lot 2948		1874 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Arrows. NGC graded Proof 65. Only 700 struck. Nice white coin. A satiny frosted gem with energetic cartwheel mirrors and rich contrasting relief elements that seems to want to motivate bidders to increase their bids a notch. The 1873-74 Arrows coins were the result of a slight change at the mint in the weight standard of America's silver coins. Proofs were struck in each of these years, and in normal numbers consistent with similar issues in the 1870s. However, because of the coin's two-year status as at Type, extra collector pressure has made it the coin d'jour for Type set buyers. Pop 13; 7 finer. (PCGS # 6435) . Estimated Value $7,000 - 7,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 2949		1874 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Arrows. PCGS graded MS-62. Well struck and frosty for this important two-year Type, with excellent detail seen at the stars and both shields, as well as other areas of the design. Delicately toned around borders. A very choice example with excellent eye-appeal. Pop 29 (PCGS # 6346) . Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,250. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 2950		1875-S Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded MS-65. A splendid satiny mint gem with a ring of natural russet toning around the obv borders. An more than moderately fresh and lively gem with strong luster and a confident, no-compromises strike underneath the toning. Everything you would want from the grade, and probably then some. The mints began to increase coinage during 1873-77 (this was done intentionally to spur what was then known as "Resumption", implying a hoped-for resurgence in the use of silver coins in everyday commerce. Between 1862 and this time period, the country was flooded with fractional paper money, tokens, and every sort of poor quality "money substitutes." The government was in earnest to return to normal coinage, which gradually happened during these five years. Many people had grown to adulthood in America in that era, never having seen a silver coin in change! Pop 44; 11 finer in 66. (PCGS # 6351) . Estimated Value $3,400 - 4,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 2951		1876 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 64 Cameo. Delicately toned, deepens around borders. An exceedingly choice, spinning-bright 1876 Proof, the surfaces spread light with vivid wintry white originality on the devices, plus warm (and deep) reddish brown to blue toning at the peripheries. Proof mintage was only 1,150 pieces. This date, like the 1892 Barber series, saw elevated Proof set sales to collectors and non-collectors. It was the Centennial Year with celebrations across the country that summer's Fourth of July. Pop 6, 3 better by a point. (PCGS # 86437) . Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,400. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,565
Lot 2952		1877 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Proof 63 Cameo. Only 510 proofs minted. Very choice, brilliant with deep mirror surfaces and moderate cameo contrast to the devices. Only very faint, fine hairlines. Better date among the Proof issues. Beautiful! Estimated Value $800 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,150
Lot 2953		1878 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 66 Cameo. Fully white coin. Only 800 proofs minted. Lustrous and almost devoid of any color, with frosty design elements set against deep pools of mirror surface. Hence the "cameo" description on the grading holder. A very pleasing Gem quality example makes this a scarce Proof from the late 1870s. So ends the discussion of the luster. Now on to the detail. This piece is not just close to, but completely and boldly struck, with outstanding detail at the key high points on either side. Not even a hint of softness anywhere. If you have ever considered the latent possibilities of a coin like this for dramatic future appreciation, both aesthetic and financial, then you'll understand its allure as well as the significance to the collector. Pop 4; none finer at PCGS. (PCGS # 86439) . Estimated Value $5,000 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $8,050
Lot 2954		1879 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 67 Cameo Star. A flashy gem. 1,100 proofs minted. This example has shimmering stark white surfaces, rolling mirrors in the fields, snappy frosted devices, and no toning. One would be hard put to find a more truly beautiful or highly presentable gem specimen of a popular issue with not even a smidgen of softness on the high points. Pop 1; 1 in PF-68 as finest graded. There was an enormous expansion of silver coinage in the early to mid-1870s. Then, toward the latter part of 1877 vast numbers of previously exported silver -- coins that had been struck as long ago as the early 1860s -- began returning to the United States from abroad, principally from Central America and Canada. Tens of millions of coins (worth perhaps as much as $30 million in the estimate of Robert W. Julian) returned like a flash flood from the past completely mystifying bank officials and the Treasury department. This unexpected vast "inpouring" continued well into 1880, much to the amazement of observers. According to Julian, silver miners and their political allies were not only staggered by the unexpected inflow, but were hopping mad, because the mints were no longer buying silver for minor coinage. There was no demand for such coinage and the channels of trade were clogged with it. Because there was no inflation in prices paid for goods and services with the added coinage, the long suffering farmers who believed inflating prices were their friend, were not helped. In response to this inpouring, the Treasury ordered the suspension of minor silver coinage in early 1878 and did not resume it for some years because of the accumulation in the Treasury. It is Julian's contention that contrary to popular belief, the coinage of Morgan dollars had nothing to do with the interdiction of subsidiary silver mintage in the years 1879-90. Estimated Value $8,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2955		1879 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 68. Lovely gold and blue obv. toning, while the reverse displays lovely blue toning. 1,100 proofs minted. Full glowing mint flash, an explosion of warmly hued colors. A Gem Proof of almost monumental surface perfection. Not even a hint of weakness is seen at the devices of this deservedly proud 1879 seated half dollar coin. It seems plain that the dies were spaced at exactly the right distance apart to prevent any weak metal flow in the key central regions. The designs are very strong for the date, even the stars are needle-sharp. Once a collector has shaken off the yoke of mediocrity that plagues the usual encapsulated Proof half dollar of this decade, others like this majestic Proof 68 1879 may soon become a part of the collection. Perhaps one day the collection ready for sale like this one, and a new generation of eager collectors will descend upon the auction with high hopes! Pop 3; none finer. Events of 1879 include: The first telephone line connecting two American cities being strung between Boston and Lowell, Mass., forever after in direct communication. Also in 1879, A reporter cornered William H. Vanderbilt, head of the New York Central Railroad, demanding an interview and stating that the public was waiting for one. Vanderbilt brushed past him, snapping the immortal words, "The public be damned!" Finally this year, in his second effort to establish a low-priced shopping center, Frank W. Woolworth finally succeeded with a flourishing 5-and-10-cent store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Estimated Value $8,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $12,650
Lot 2956		1879 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 66 Cameo. White and well struck. Here, too, as in the other exceptional Proof seated Liberty half dollars in the sale, we are pleased to say this is a gem of the finest order whose explosive mirror luster adorns the faint champagne toned surfaces. Piercingly sharp for the date, easily finer in sharpness than many in nominally higher grades, this has crisp frosted devices that rise above the reflective field surface. Only 1,100 proofs issued. Pop 5; 5 finer at NGC. Estimated Value $6,000 - 6,500. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2957		1880. NGC graded Proof 65 Cameo. Volatile mirror freshness graces cameo fresh and dynamic golden toned surfaces. What also sparks our interest is the varying hues of russet, amber, and tawny shades of purple and blue that mingle broadly with rich iridescence at the rims on both sides. An attractive gem Proof that shows off its bold strike proudly. Only 1,355 proofs minted. Pop 11; 9 in 66; 1 in 67; No ultra cameos graded for this date. Estimated Value $2,800 - 3,100. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2958		1881 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 66. Nice blue and gold toning. Only 975 proofs minted. Another gorgeous Proof half dollar whose rich frosty white devices pulsate with an inner energy like atomic fission below the electric blue and pale purple toning. Moving along, we can cheerfully report a crisp, presentable strike, with boldness to the stars, Liberty's figure and head detail, both shields, as well as the eagle's feathers on the neck and wings. All are a sign of first-class care in striking. The consignor of the piece has no worry about having to draw potential buyers screaming and kicking like an angry child into the room to bid on his pristine gem. On the contrary, the coin should experience multiple bids under intense bidding pressure, and justifiably so! Pop 23; 3 in PF67; 1 in PF68. Estimated Value $4,000 - 4,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,600
Lot 2959		1882 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 65 Deep Cameo. Light toning on both sides. 1,100 proofs minted. Silver satin devices surrounded by pools of smooth mirror reflectiveness, quite lustrous in appearance with the overlay of toning in no way obscuring the mint glow. Unlike the usual survivor with its sometimes diminished impression left by a weak blow of the dies on some stars and on the eagle's neck, this handsome beauty is very sharp from top to bottom, center to periphery. If the idea is absolutely new to you to go for a low-population seated half dollar Proof of such beauty and power, then meet the challenge by submitting a stong bid. Pop 2; 3 in 66 Dcam as best by PCGS. (PCGS # 96443) . Estimated Value $4,500 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $4,600
Lot 2960		1883 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 67. Wonderful rich rainbow toning. 1,039 proofs minted. The surfaces are highly lustrous and each side has a splendid bull's eye patina that swirls and alternates between lighter and darker hues, almost all of them shimmer with electric iridescence. Both the peripheries and the central reverse are detailed and absolutely 100% crisp for their sharpness of strike, which is a forceful reminder in a Proof from this decade that it is quality that counts. Superb! Pop 1; finest graded at PCGS. (PCGS # 6444) . Estimated Value $15,000 - 19,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $18,975
Lot 2961		1884 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 66 Cameo. Fully whie gem and well struck. Only 875 proofs minted. Clean as a whistle, as one would expect from the high-end Proof grade; however, what really sets this coin apart from others is its intense deep mirror luster that ripples like smooth lake water around each. A hint of weakness at that is sometimes seen at the stars or upper body and head on Liberty is missing on this razor-sharp specimen, with the key central areas strongly hit by the dies. Pop 1; finest graded at PCGS. (PCGS # 86445) . Estimated Value $5,000 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,900
Lot 2962		1884 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 66 Cameo. Light gold and blue toning around the obverse edges. Only 875 proofs minted. One of a pair of exciting Proof 66 examples of this very low mintage issue from the 1880s. Smooth metallic flow enhances the glittering mint mirrors that cover the surfaces, giving the coin a shimmering, almost glowing appearance. The original mint brilliance is only interrupted by an aura of golden to steel-blue patina along the rims. It is easy to see this piece was delivered a hard blow from the dies, or as some researchers believe, the dies were nearly new and carefully set in the equipment to impart the requisite force, and which imparted their sharpness to the struck planchet. Such wonderful quality won't last long in the numismatic marketplace before being hidden away in a "museum class" collection of seated Liberty half dollars. Best to act quickly and with determination. Pop 5; 2 in 67 Cameo as best by NGC. Estimated Value $4,500 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $5,290
Lot 2963		1885 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 68. Lovely multicolor toning. 930 proofs minted. NGC #303829-009. A remarkable coin! Beautifully toned in pear, light purple, golden-brown, and powder-blue colors, this splendid Superb Gem is boldly struck and undisturbed by hairlines or any signs of handling. 1885 was part of the 1879 to 1890 run of very low mintage dates, which occurred while the mints were under orders not to strike any further quarter dollars or half dollars due to an excess in storage at the Treasury from earlier releases. Because the mint officials feared that "speculators" would buy up the low mintage Proofs for instant profits, there were struck in each of these 12 years token amounts of circulation-strike quality coins. Just sufficient, it was hoped, to discourage speculation. Of course, such low numbers today have the opposite effect: they encourage bidders to acquire sets of the aforementioned 1879 to 1890 dates. For the 1885 seated half, just under one thousand Proofs were struck, along with the token number of 5,200 business strikes. Pop 1; 1 in Proof 68 Star. Estimated Value $15,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $17,825
Lot 2964		1885 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 64 Cameo with star. Nice golden and blue toning around the edges. Only 930 proofs minted. A memorable 1885 Proof from both a technical standpoint and in terms of visual impact. Both sides are deeply mirrored. Both sides display strong cameo contrast. The obverse is shows an ellipse of crimson, gold and blue toning brilliance through the periphery courtesy of dramatic shades of color in this area. Only slightly less eye catching is the similarly cameoed reverse, being framed in deep russet and rose toning. Just a remarkable Proof 67 easily surpassing the five-figure potential of coins of this caliber. Pop 1; finest graded proof cameo. Estimated Value $12,000 - 15,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $14,950
Lot 2965		1886 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 66 Deep Cameo. Mostly white with a hint of light gold toning near the edges. Only 886 proofs minted. Excellent appearance from almost pristine surfaces, the fields show deep reflectivity and warm color. And sensational preservation, rarely seen this fresh. Don't expect the usual halfhearted impression left by the striking of the dies that made this piece, either, for we are glad to report the other extreme is true. This is a very bold coin with sharp centers including all stars, hair on Liberty, and eagle's neck feathers and legs. We live in a peculiarly "American" era where U.S. collectors pride themselves on the low-census certified coinage, and have the courage with which they refuse to allow the competition an edge when bidding. Rarely have we seen such a grand display of seated Liberty half dollars in Proof condition offered in one auction. With such scope and depth in the matter of "museum pieces" there should be at least one coin for every serious buyer to acquire from this group. Pop 1; none finer at PCGS. (PCGS # 96447) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 14,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $15,525
Lot 2966		1891 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 66 Cameo. A white example. Dancing frosted white luster careens off the satiny, matte-like Liberty and eagle of this attractively preserved white gem. A blend of delicate golden shades can be seen on both sides at the extreme periphery, but that is the only place they occur. The strike, which on some later dates is somewhat spongy, counters the trend by being crystal clear and razor-sharp including all stars, making it a dream coin for the astute collector. Only 600 proofs issued. Pop 7; 3 finer. Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,500. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2967		1891 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded Proof 66 Cameo. A hint of light gold toning around the edges. Only 600 proofs minted. Nearly untoned except around the margins with spectacular mint brilliance over pristine mirror surfaces. A rounded impression is the rule for some dates imprinted by the stamp of the Proof dies that struck this Type; we are happy to say that the present 1891 is a grand exception to that rule in being very sharp throughout including centers. Pop 7; 3 finer at NGC. Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,500. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold