1864 Round 50 Cents. BG-1016A. Rarity-8. Liberty Head. MS-63 (NGC).Bright satin to semi-reflective surfaces with vivid golden yellow color. The detail is notably soft in several areas on both sides, typical of the variety, with the sharpest areas the lower portion of Libertys portrait and the left branch in the reverse wreath. The denomination HALF DOLLAR is fully legible, but the date is weak with the digit 8 absent. A shallow circular planchet void at 12 oclock on the obverse should identify this coin in future market appearances. This rare variety was first identified by David or Susan Doering circa 1980 to 1982, and first published in the second edition of their book <em>California Fractional Gold</em> (1982). The 2003 edition of the Breen-Gillio reference on California small denomination gold lists just two distinct examples, including the Jay Roe specimen in PCGS MS-61, with the additional notation, "3) Others, difficult to separate due to combining of 1016A with 1016." Only four grading events are recorded at PCGS and NGC combined, which total might include resubmissions. Although the exact number of examples in numismatic hands remains unknown, there is no doubt that BG-1016A is a significant rarity.
