1831 1/2C 2nd Res, Rev Style of 1840, BN (Proof)
Series: Classic Head Half Cents 1831-1836
PCGS PR66BN
PCGS PR66BN
PCGS PR64+BN
- PCGS #:
- 1192
- Designer:
- John Reich
- Edge:
- Plain
- Diameter:
- 23.50 millimeters
- Weight:
- 5.44 grams
- Mintage:
- 12
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- Copper
- Auction Record:
- $80,500 • PR64 • 01-26-2014 • Goldberg Auctioneers
Major Varieties
Condition Census What Is This?
|
#1 PR66BN PCGS grade
Byron Reed Collection (purchased before 1891) - Western Heritage Museum - Spink America & Christie's 10/1996:3 (as Raw Choice to Gem Proof), $37,400 - Bill Weber Collection - Superior Galleries 6/2002:2378 - American Numismatic Rarities 1/2004:1073, $34,500 - ESM Collection |
|
#1 PR66BN PCGS grade
Bowers & Ruddy 6/1980:3019, $4,800 - R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr. Collection - American Numismatic Rarities 7/2005:611, $31,050 - D. Brent Pogue Collection - Stack's/Bowers & Sotheby's 3/2017:5075 |
| #1 PR66BN PCGS grade |
|
#4 PR64+BN PCGS grade
Dr. Henry Richard Linderman (Director of the United States Mints and Assay Offices) 1/27/1879 - Bangs & Co. 6/28/1887 (During his administration Dr. Linderman gathered a choice collection of specimen coins, which were to be sold by auction in New York in 1887, but the U. S. government claimed them and the Bangs sale was cancelled.) - Scott Stamp and Coin Co. 2/1888:15 - possibly to Virgil Brand in 1904, his coin #27730 (sold 5/13/1944 for $50 to T. C. Brandts of Celina Coin Company) - King Farouk I of Egypt - Sotheby’s "The Palace Collections of Egypt" February 24-28 and March 3-6, 1954:1700 (group lot of 69 varieties of half cents, 1793-1857) $4,821 - Hans M. F. Schulman - Norweb Collection - Bowers & Merena 10/1987:81, $41,800) - R. Tettenhorst Collection - Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society - Missouri Cabinet (Mocab 31.3.1) - Goldbergs 1/2014:127, $80,500 |
The 1831 Half Cent with the reverse of the Braided Hair type is clearly a restrike made at a later date. All were struck as Proofs and the mintage was extremely low. Some researchers have suggested that as many as a dozen were made, but that is pure speculation since no mint records exist for early American Proof coins. Today, at least five demonstrably different examples are known and there may be as many as two additional examples. These restrikes were made with the sole purpose of creating rarities for sale to collectors who desired to own an example of the rare 1831-dated Half Cent. Today, they are eagerly sought after as important collectibles. The finest example known is the PCGS PR66RB coin from the Louis Eliasberg collection (now part of Jim McGuigan's fabulous collection of Half Cents).