1859 Pattern Half Dollar. Judd-246, Pollock-302. Rarity-7-. Copper. Reeded Edge. Proof-63 BN (PCGS).Obv: James Barton Longacres French Head of Liberty design. A bust of Liberty faces right with a wreath of oak and vine leaves on her head, a ribbon or scroll inscribed LIBERTY crossing her right shoulder. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is around the border and the date 1859 is below. Rev: An eagle with outstretched wings and a shield on its breast clutches an olive sprig in its right talon and three long, slender arrows in its left talon. The eagle holds a scroll inscribed with the Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM in its beak, the scroll perfect as opposed to broken, and the eagles left wing tip pointed as opposed to rounded. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is around the border and the denomination HALF DOLLAR is below. Mottled olive and gray-brown patina to both sides, the surfaces also retain irregular patches of original pinkish-rose color. Although Pollock reserved the attribution P-302 for the perfect ribbon variant of this type in copper, be was unable to confirm its existence at the time his pattern reference went to print in 1994. Since then a number of specimens have been confirmed, although the variety remains scarce, if not rare.From the E. Horatio Morgan Collection. Acquired November 1987.
