USA Coin Book
Half Dollar
1865-P Seated Liberty Half Dollar (1839-1891)
FS-301
Key Features
FS-301: Repunched Date [Cross-ref: WB-1] Source: https://www.greysheet.com/prices/sp/liberty-seated-half-dollars/8955 A sprawling series that survived the Gold Rush and Civil War. Features Christian Gobrecht's classic Seated Liberty design.
Intriguing History
By 1865, the Civil War had upended the nation: hard money vanished from circulation as people hoarded gold and silver, the government issued paper greenbacks to fund the war effort, and the phrase "In God We Trust" was added to U.S. coinage in 1864 amid the conflict's darkest years. This Seated Liberty half dollar was doing the heavy lifting of American commerce as a large silver coin through exactly this period.
Total Weight12.50 g