1860 H10C J-267, Transitional MS(PCGS#4373)

Summer 2025 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

4145

Grade

MS65

Price

6,600

Lot Description

<strong>Obv:</strong> Anthony C. Paquet's short-lived modified Liberty Seated half dime obverse design of 1859, with hollow-centered stars. <strong>Rev:</strong> The cereal wreath design that the Mint adopted for regular issue half dime coinage in 1860. Watery semi-reflective fields support satiny motifs on both sides of this bright, brilliant Gem. Peripheral strike detail is somewhat soft, most notably at the upper obverse and lower reverse, although this feature is fairly typical for this Judd number. The 1860 transitional half dime is a rarity of long-standing fame, the combination of these two dies without the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA resulting in a nationless coin! Kevin Flynn in his 2014 <em>Authoritative Reference on Seated Liberty Half Dimes</em> makes a diplomatic assessment and acknowledges that the 100 or so 1860 transitional half dimes struck by Director James Ross Snowden were distributed to Mint officials for evaluation at the time of striking, and also sold to collectors at a premium. For many years collectors have enthusiastically embraced the issue, often including it as part of a complete set of regular issue Liberty Seated half dimes. See the Liberty Seated dime offerings in this sale for an example of its counterpart in that series, Judd-233.