1882 Proof Half Dollar Pattern - J-1700, Shield Earring

Coin Details

Auction Record

PR65 Cameo NGC realized $54,625 at Heritage Auctions.

Description

The Shield Earring half dollar pattern of 1882, George T. Morgan's masterful adaptation of his Shield Earring design to the fifty-cent denomination. The obverse features Liberty facing right, wearing a band inscribed LIBERTY and the distinctive shield-shaped earring that defines this pattern series. Thirteen stars surround the portrait — seven left, six right — with E PLURIBUS UNUM above and the date 1882 below. The reverse presents a defiant eagle with raised wings facing right, clutching an olive branch and arrows, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA above and HALF DOLLAR below. Struck in silver with a reeded edge, this half dollar shares Morgan's powerful eagle reverse with the quarter and dollar Shield Earring patterns but adjusts the scale and spacing to suit the fifty-cent module. Pattern specialists rank the Shield Earring alongside the 1872 Amazonian and 1879 Schoolgirl as the three most visually compelling American pattern series. The half dollar version is arguably the most balanced of the three Shield Earring denominations, with the design elements achieving ideal proportional harmony at this size.

Rarity Notes

R-7 (Extremely Rare). Low R.7 per auction records, with approximately 9-12 specimens documented.

Cross References

Judd J-1700, Pollock P-1902