Lot 1050
1870. NGC graded MS-68 Star. Lovely blue and golden toning. The Finest Known for this date. A business strike which has nice contrast between the frosted Liberty/Wreath motifs and more prooflike field surface surrounding. Bold, gleaming, and exquisitely well preserved. The finest reported: Pop 1; none finer at NGC .
Note: Growing use of shield nickels by this year (nickels were introduced in 1866) made half dimes less and less necessary, except on the West Coast and in the Southwest, where the bulk of survivors turned up.
As a result, when the backers of the Mint Act of 1873 were deciding which denominations to abolish as superfluous, they chose to retain the nickel 3c and 5c coins instead of silver trimes and half dimes. (This was at least partly a concession to Joseph Wharton, who had been for two decades continuously promoting the use of nickel for coinage -- from the mines of which he was the owner.) Accordingly, issuing of half dimes ceased in 1873, ending a denomination which had been struck off and on for nearly 80 years.
Estimated Value $5,000 - 6,000.
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| Realized $10,869 |
