Lot 1072
1837 Capped Bust Half Dollar. PCGS graded MS-63 PQ. Lovely gold and blue toning showing a sparkle of iridescence. Frosty throughout; choicer from top to bottom than average for MS63, which is why we send it to the front of the line as "PQ". The half dollars of 1836 and 1837 represent a major turning point in the history of the Philadelphia Mint. Lettered edge half dollar struck using a hand-operated press had been the rule since minting began in 1794. By the early 1830s, however, growing log jams appeared as the Mint needed to strike ever larger numbers of coins each year. New equipment was ordered; steam presses, for instance, like those used in Britain and Europe, as well as "close collars" to provide a more consistent strike. It was believed these would yield a higher degree of standardization, which they did. Consequently, this 1837 Lettered Edge design struck on a steam-operated minting press begins the next chapter in the Mint's history (PCGS # 6176) .
Estimated Value $1,700 - 1,800.
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| Realized $2,415 |
