1873 Half Dollar Patterns

About This Coin

Representing the fifty-cent denomination in William Barber's Trade Dollar Era Patterns (1871-1873), the 1873 Half Dollar Patterns were produced at the Philadelphia Mint during a landmark year for American coinage legislation. The obverse features Barber's seated Liberty facing left with olive branch and wheat sheaf, proposing a departure from the Seated Liberty half dollar serving since 1839. The reverse displays an eagle perched on a bale of goods with olive branch and three arrows, maintaining the commercial symbolism unifying Barber's vision. A notable result of $16K in PR66 grade at Goldberg Auctioneers places these at a moderate price point, accessible to serious pattern collectors. The half dollar was one of the workhorses of American silver coinage, circulating widely in everyday commerce, which gave the denomination's pattern production particular practical relevance — any design change would affect millions who handled half dollars regularly. For collectors, the 1873 Half Dollar Patterns offer a study in how Barber adapted his artistic language to the substantial fifty-cent format, where the larger diameter provided an expanded canvas for his design elements.