Numismatic

1858 Liberty Seated Half Dollar AG

---

In the years leading up to the American Civil War, the Philadelphia Mint produced this silver half dollar, dated 1858. Struck with a purity of 90 percent silver, this fifty-cent piece represents a classic era of United States coinage. Even with the significant wear of an Almost Good grade, the coin retains the unmistakable outlines of its historic mid-nineteenth-century imagery. The obverse displays the famous Liberty Seated design by Christian Gobrecht. Liberty is shown resting on a rock, grasping a staff topped with a liberty cap in one hand while her other hand supports a shield. This iconic representation of freedom was a staple of American pocket change during the 1800s. On the reverse, a heraldic eagle stands with its wings spread, perched upon an olive branch and clutching three arrows. A shield is positioned across the eagle's breast, mirroring the shield held by Liberty on the front. Surrounding the eagle are the legible remains of the national inscription, United States of America, along with the half dollar denomination.