1852 Pattern Annular, or Ring-Form Gold Half Dollar. Judd-135, Pollock-162.

Fascinating and Rare 1852 Pattern Annular Gold Half Dollar Tied for Finest Known Judd-135 1852 Pattern Annular, or Ring-Form Gold Half Dollar. Judd-135, Pollock-162. Rarity-7+. Gold. Reeded Edge. Proof-66 (PCGS). Obv: The reverse design of the regular issue Liberty Seated half dime of the Laurel Wreath type, struck with a large central perforation so that only the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the base of the wreath and ribbon ends are visible. Rev: Blank except for denticulation around the border. A beautiful medium gold specimen with lively satin to semi-reflective surfaces. This is the only pattern type for a gold half dollar, the proposal for such a coin resulting from the disappearance of silver coins from circulation after the influx of immense quantities of gold bullion from the California gold fields into the world market. Since the gold dollar, introduced in 1849, proved popular, and silver half dollars were no longer seen in commerce by 1852, it was thought by some that a gold half dollar would find ready acceptance in circulation. In the end, however, the concept proved unfeasible and was dropped. The Mint did, however, produce a limited number of patterns in a rushed manner, as indicated in a letter dated January 27, 1852 from Mint Director George N. Eckert to Senator R.M.T. Hunter (quoted in Pollock, 1994): In reply to your letter of the 17th, I herewith enclose planchets of perforated or annulated dollars and half dollars in gold, with such rude designs as was possible without the construction of new dies. The planchets are rather lager, & the perforation consequently wider, than I think desirable for the piece, but we are limited by the time and means at our disposal, and have struck them with dime and half dime dies. Rare today, only nine to 12 specimens of Judd-135 are believed extant, just five of which are positively confirmed per Saul Teichman's research published on the uspatterns.com website. Two of the confirmed pieces are impounded in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, leaving perhaps as few as seven pieces in private hands. This is the only the second example of the type that we have handled since our first offering of the E. Horatio Morgan specimen in our (Bowers and Merena's) Tower Hill Collection sale of September 1993 - 33 years ago. Both rank among the very finest examples known and are tied as Proof-66 at PCGS with none finer. NGC lists a single example at the Proof-66 level, though this may be a duplicate listing. This piece is an important rarity that is sure to see spirited bidding among astute pattern collectors. Provenance: Ex William H. Woodin; Major Lenox Lohr; our (Stack's) sale of the Cox Collection, April 1962, lot 2193; Dr. Wilkison; Paramount; A-Mark; Paramount's session of Auction '79, July 1979, lot 171; Paramount's session of Auction '82, August 1982, lot 1810; Bob R. Simpson; Heritage's sale of the Bob R. Simpson Collection, February 2021 Signature Auction, lot 3133. PCGS Population: 2; 0 finer. PCGS# 11575. NGC ID: 298Z. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA.

Estimation:€0.89

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