Numismatic

1872 Liberty Seated Half Dollar Good

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The 1872 Liberty Seated half dollar represents a classic era of United States silver coinage. Struck in 90 percent silver, this fifty-cent piece contains approximately 0.3575 troy ounces of precious metal. Produced at the Philadelphia Mint, this coin carries no mint mark, which was the standard practice for the facility during the nineteenth century. On the obverse, the design by Christian Gobrecht presents Lady Liberty seated on a rock. She holds a staff topped with a liberty cap in one hand, while her other hand rests upon a shield. The date 1872 is inscribed clearly beneath this central figure. The reverse of the coin displays a detailed heraldic eagle. The bird is depicted perched upon a branch while clutching three arrows in its talons, with a shield positioned across its chest. Below the eagle, the denomination is abbreviated as "HALF DOL.", completing a design that circulated widely during a transformative period in American history.