Among the numismatic treasures crossing the auction block in our upcoming July 2015 Baltimore sale is an exceptional No Arrows, Open 3 1873 Liberty Seated half dollar which is sure to be exciting for half dollar and U.S. type specialists alike!
1873 represents a significant, transitional year in the design of our nation’s silver coinage, in some cases echoing some of the alterations that took place exactly two decades earlier. The Close 3 logotype used in the date across all denominations was deemed to be easily confused for an “8” by Chief Coiner A. Loudon Snowden, eliciting a change to the Open 3 style early in production. Not long after this alteration, the Act of February 12, 1873, increased the weight of dime, quarter and half dollar planchets, prompting the addition of arrows to the date in order to signify this change.
It was in the brief window between these two modifications that pieces of the No Arrows, Open 3 type were struck. Of the 2,616,400 Liberty Seated half dollars produced at the Philadelphia Mint in 1873, just 214,200 of these were of the present type, and many of those were melted before ever reaching circulation, creating an instant rarity that is seldom encountered above Extremely Fine today.
This pleasing Choice About Uncirculated example sits among the finest known and is very close to with Mint State preservation in many respects. Our cataloger notes: “The strike is sharp and well preserved, both sides retain sharp to full definition in all areas of this classic design. The obverse displays smoky slate gray while the reverse is more steel gray. Areas of lighter pale silver are also evident in the protected areas around several of the peripheral devices. Close inspection reveals that the surfaces are of superior quality for this highly elusive issue.”
We anticipate that this momentous offering will attract fierce bidding activity, and we wish you all the best of luck! To view this and the numerous other world-class rarities in our upcoming July 2015 Baltimore sale visit StacksBowers.com or call our offices to reserve your copy of the catalog.
