1792 Getz-LEA Half Dollar

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Baker 25, Musante GW-25, Whitman 10700, and PCGS #927, this 1792 Getz half dollar with lettered edge (LEA) was struck in copper, weighing 13 grams with a 33 mm diameter — physical specifications that approximate the size and heft of a silver half dollar, demonstrating how the pattern would feel in hand if produced in the intended precious metal. Peter Getz of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, engraved the dies for these proposed half dollar coins, which feature Washington's military bust on the obverse and a heraldic eagle on the reverse, presenting a compelling vision for what the first American half dollar coinage might look like. The lettered edge adds an additional layer of die-cutting craftsmanship, as edge lettering required a separate collar die or edge-lettering machine — demonstrating Getz's command of the full range of coining technologies needed for production-quality half dollars. The 1792 date places this pattern in the pivotal year when the Coinage Act of April 2, 1792, established the legal framework for American coinage, and multiple competing engravers submitted proposed designs hoping to win the contract for the new United States Mint. Extremely rare, original Getz patterns are among the rarest and most historically significant Washington pieces, documenting the private entrepreneurial effort that competed alongside the Mint's own design staff to define the visual identity of American coinage during its formative year. The lettered edge variant is particularly scarce among Getz half dollar types.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Original Getz patterns are among the rarest Washington pieces.

Cross References

Baker 25; Musante GW-25; Whitman 10700