Numismatic

1871 Liberty Seated Half Dollar Good

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The 1871 Liberty Seated half dollar is a compelling artifact from nineteenth-century American coinage. Struck in 90 percent silver at the Philadelphia Mint, this fifty-cent piece carries no mint mark, which was the standard practice for the nation's primary coining facility during this era. Containing approximately 0.3599 troy ounces of precious metal, the coin represents a long-running design series that circulated heavily during a transformative period in United States history. On the obverse, the design by Christian Gobrecht presents Lady Liberty seated upon a rock. In one hand, she supports a staff topped with a liberty cap, while her other hand rests upon a shield inscribed with the word LIBERTY. The reverse displays a heraldic eagle perched on an olive branch, grasping three arrows in its talons, with a shield positioned across its chest. Legible inscriptions on this issue include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the denomination HALF DOL.