1867 Half Dollar Patterns

About This Coin

Struck at the Philadelphia Mint during the second year of the Reconstruction Era program, these 1867 half dollar pieces continued post-Civil War design exploration for the fifty-cent denomination serving as the largest silver coin in regular commerce. The Seated Liberty design had been in production since 1839, approaching three decades of service prompting evaluation of artistic refreshment. The obverse features experimental post-war designs, while the reverse tested compositions including nickel and aluminum alongside silver. A notable auction result of $2.6K in Proof at Superior Galleries suggests somewhat greater auction frequency than the rarest Reconstruction pieces, making them relatively accessible entry points. The half dollar's commercial importance meant design changes would be immediately visible to millions in daily transactions. These 1867 patterns represent one year in the sustained four-year effort to reimagine American silver coinage — an effort whose artistic proposals were ultimately deferred for over two decades until Charles Barber's 1892 Liberty Head design finally replaced the Seated Liberty across all silver denominations.