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HBCC #6147 – 1879 Half Dollar – Obverse HBCC #6147 – 1879 Half Dollar – Reverse
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1879 Half Dollar

HBCC#:
6147
Breen#:
n/a
BD#:
n/a
Judd#:
1598
Pollock#:
1791

This is an outstanding example of the Washlady half dollar struck in silver. Harry Bass acquired this lovely pattern from the outstanding collection of Gaston DiBello, sold in May, 1970. Similar to the other Washlady issues, about a dozen examples of this variety are known in silver, with another dozen in copper. The slight weakness of detail at center of both obverse and reverse is typical of several survivors of this design.

Provenance:
From Stack's sale of the DiBello Collection, May 1970, Lot 397.
Obverse:
Head of Liberty to left, ribbon with cotton and wheat in hair, LIBERTY on ribbon, hair in large coif behind head, IN GOD WE TRUST above, seven stars before portrait, six stars behind, date below.
Reverse:
Standing eagle at center, head to left, olive branch and arrows in talons, olive branch and talons pass behind wing tips, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and E PLURIBUS UNUM arc above eagle, HALF DOLLAR curves below.
Commentary: