Click to enlargeJ135/P162

The ring gold half dollar of 1852.



This design is actually struck using the reverse die of a half dime with the other side blank with the exception of the denticles.

There are at least 5 known as follows per Akers Gold Pattern book:

1) Smithsonian

2) Chase Manhattan Bank, Smithsonian

3) Boyd, Judd, Wilkison, Paramount, A-Mark, Leidman, 81 ANA

4) Lohr, Wilkison, Paramount, A-Mark

5) Sloss, 79 ANA

One of these is ex DeWitt Smith, Brand.

2 unstruck blank planchets exist for this, one ex Wilkison and the other ex Sloss, 79 ANA.

A companion gold dollar struck using dime dies also was made as J136/P163.

Photo courtesy of Rick Kay from images taken at the Smithsonian.