1854 1/2C Braided Hair Half Cent, PCGS PR64BN (CAC) - Mintage of Only 30!

It is with pleasure that we at AUCM offer to the discriminating numismatist a true delicacy: an 1854 Braided Hair Half Cent, graded PCGS PR64BN (CAC). A treasure such as this is rarely offered, and therefore proof half cent enthusiasts should study this listing very carefully. An offering of this issue is a rarity in itself, so do not dawdle if you are looking for pieces such as this one!

Half cents were not a popular denomination and thus were infrequently produced in the 1820s and 1830s. Nonetheless, the Mint came up with a reason for minting half cents. It was the custom to present dignitaries from foreign countries proof sets of U.S. coin, and the year 1840 saw Mint Director Robert M. Patterson decide to include half cents in those sets. To that end, engraver Christian Gobrecht was assigned to create new half cent proof dies, as well as hubs from which working dies could be made if the need for business strike half cents presented itself. However, there was not a large market for proof half cents from numismatists in the 1840s-1850s which resulted in miniscule mintages of these beauties.