1829 1/2C C-1, BN MS(PCGS#35267)

1829 1/2C C-1, BN MS (PCGS#35267)

December 2020 U.S. Coins Auction

Lot Description: 1829 Classic Head Half Cent. C-1, the only known dies. Rarity-1. MS-65 BN (NGC). CAC. Both sides of this beautiful coin exhibit intermingled steel-blue and pale rose iridescence on antique copper-brown patina. It is smartly impressed with razor sharp to full striking detail and outstanding frosty mint luster. The 1829 half cent represented an inflection point in the history of this denomination. Pauses punctuate the half cent's timeline, but rarely do they beget change. No half cents were struck between 1811 and 1825, but after the 14-year sabbatical, the coins looked about as they did before. After 1829, the half cent took a year off in 1830 and was retooled with a modified version of the Classic Head design. William Kneass' reworking took into account changes in technology, giving the coins that followed a squarer edge and a higher rim. Soft strikes became a thing of the past. This coin is the last of the old guard. After the half cent returned in 1831, in addition to using a modified design, the denomination's days as a workhorse copper in circulation would be largely behind it. Provenance: From the Larry H. Miller Collection. NGC Census: 19; 4 finer in this category (MS-66 * BN finest). PCGS# 35267. NGC ID: 222X. Click here for certification details from NGC.