1873 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. Arrows. WB-107. Small Arrows. MS-65+ (PCGS).A significant Gem with desirable provenance to the collections of Jack Lee and Eugene Gardner. Sharply struck and featuring uniformly frosty luster across each side. The complexion is overall pearly-white, tinted by a blend of gold and sapphire iridescence that intensifies at the rims. It ranks among the finest examples known with just 4 coins certified finer by PCGS in MS-66.The weight of the half dollar was modified when the Act of February 12, 1873, mandated an increase from 12.44 grams to 12.50 grams. Following the precedent set in 1853, the Mint once again added arrows to the obverse before and after the date for coins struck to the new weight standard. This type remained in production only in 1873 and 1874, after which the basic Motto type returned, albeit with the weight standard as mandated in 1873.The Arrows type of 1873 to 1874 is more challenging to locate in all grades than its predecessor of 1854 to 1855. The type as a whole is very scarce in Choice Mint State and rare any finer, especially relative to the strong demand from advanced type collectors. An important condition rarity, this lovely Gem will be a highlight in a fantastic numismatic cabinet.Ex Heritages FUN Signature Sale, January 2005, lot 30220; Heritages sale of the Jack Lee Collection, Part III, November 2005, lot 2141; our (Bowers and Merenas) Rarities Sale, January 2010, lot 383; Heritages sale of the Eugene H. Gardner Collection, Part IV, October 2015, lot 98691; Heritages sale of the Jim ONeal Collection, April 2019, lot 3530.
