Numismatic

1857 Liberty Seated Half Dollar Fine

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In 1857, the Philadelphia Mint produced a silver half dollar that showcases one of the classic motifs of nineteenth-century American coinage. This fifty-cent piece, struck in 0.900 fine silver, contains 0.3575 troy ounces of precious metal. Because it was minted at the main Philadelphia facility, it carries no mint mark, leaving the focus entirely on its detailed artistry. The obverse, created by designer Christian Gobrecht, presents a seated figure of Liberty. She holds a staff topped with a liberty cap in one hand while her other hand rests on a shield. The reverse depicts an eagle perched upon a branch, clutching three arrows in its talons, with a shield emblazoned across its chest. Legible inscriptions on the coin include the year 1857 on the obverse, alongside the traditional United States of America name and the face value, abbreviated as Half Dol., on the reverse.