Lot 4167
1853 Half Dollar Round. Arms of Calif. . BG-435. Low Rarity 5. PCGS graded MS-63. Nice even toning. Important variety. This is the very rare, desirable Arms of California Type by an unknown manufacturer. The obverse displays a helmeted female draped and cloaked, holding spear and shield with a grizzly bear at her feet (concealing part of the shield); mountains behind, all within a plain circle. Around, 13 minute elongated stars and date. On the reverse of this handsome design, an eagle with scroll in beak and shield in one talon; a huge branch in the other. The eagle appears to alight on or rise from a mountaintop, all within a plain circle. CALIFORNIA GOLD HALF DOLLAR around.
For type collectors, the California Arms coins are the key to the whole series, since neither the arms nor this eagle occur on any other die! While other individual die varieties are rarer, mostly they are of standard designs represented also by commoner dies.
Breen-Gillio also note that the lettering, numerals, and stars resemble no other variety in the series. It is plainly one of the desirable Period One issues, and possibly by Joseph Brothers (J.B. and L.B. Joseph). Pop 17; 10 finer. (PCGS # 10471) .
Estimated Value $18,000 - 20,000.
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| Realized $21,850 |
