Lot 782
1873. Arrows. PCGS graded Proof 63. Lovely deep blue, gold, and lavender toning. A razor-sharp Proof. Only 550 struck. Pursuant to the Coinage Act of 1873, the adjusted weight silver coins in production beginning in 1873 had the tolerance wide enough that the previous blanks could still be used. The half dollars coined from 1853 through 1873 had a standard weight of 12.44 grams while the new half dollars beginning in 1873 had a weight standard set at 12.50 grams. With a tolerance of plus or minus 0.2 grams, any planchet that weighed between 12.30 and 12.70 grams was legal. Walter Breen proposed that the mint did not make any actual adjustments to the previous standard in use. The most likely scenario is that they began producing blank planchets at the new weight standard, but went ahead and coined all of the previous blanks that had been prepared and were awaiting coinage. This is a gleaming Proof, choice throughout, and with aesthetic appeal. Few survivors from the With Arrows Proof mintage of 1873 are as mark-free as this, and only few dozen finer examples certified.Pop 41; 54 finer, 41 in 64, 12 in 65, 1 in 66. (PCGS # 6434) .
Estimated Value $2,300 - 2,400.
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| Realized $2,350 |
