Description
1861 50C Liberty Seated Half Dollar PCGS MS64 (CAC)
PCGS # 6302
Grading Service PCGS
Grade MS64
Mint Location Philadelphia
Year 1861
Designation
Strike Business
Grade Add On CAC
1861 50C Liberty Seated Half Dollar PCGS MS64 (CAC)
1861 50C
SKU: 61800334
A Civil War–year Seated Half Dollar with superior preservation and CAC-endorsed quality.
This 1861 Liberty Seated Half Dollar, struck at the Philadelphia Mint, represents the long-running No Motto Seated Half Dollar type in a handsome Choice Mint State grade. The obverse features Liberty seated on a rock, supporting a Union shield inscribed LIBERTY and holding a pole topped by a liberty cap, all surrounded by thirteen stars with the date 1861 below. The reverse displays a heraldic eagle with shield, clutching an olive branch and arrows, encircled by the legends UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and HALF DOL. The issue was produced before the addition of the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to the reverse, preserving the classic earlier format of the type.
Certified PCGS MS64 and further approved by CAC, this example offers the kind of quality and eye appeal advanced type and date collectors actively seek. The strike is notably sharp for the issue, with strong definition through Liberty’s figure, shield lines, and the eagle’s plumage. Attractive mint frost blends with softly satiny brilliance across both sides, while the surfaces show the restrained, grade-consistent contact marks expected of the level. The overall appearance is especially pleasing, with light silver-gray coloration and a clean, balanced presentation that confirms the coin’s premium status within the grade.
The 1861 half dollar holds special historical resonance as a first-year Civil War issue struck during one of the most consequential years in American history. Philadelphia Mint employees produced 2,887,400 pieces, a substantial mintage for the period and one that preceded a broader decline in half dollar production as the war years progressed. The date is well known to collectors of Seated coinage, both for its historical importance and for its accessibility in circulated and lower Mint State grades. Within the broader Seated Half Dollar series, it remains a popular choice for type collectors seeking a high-grade No Motto representative and for date collectors assembling Civil War-era sets.
While not rare as a date, the issue becomes meaningfully more selective in premium certified Mint State with CAC approval. PCGS reports a population of 82 in MS64, with just 54 finer, underscoring that this is a solidly collected and condition-sensitive level for the issue. Examples are available in lower Mint State grades, but attractive, well-struck pieces with strong surface quality and CAC endorsement are consistently favored in the marketplace. That combination of historic year, collector familiarity, and certified quality gives this coin enduring liquidity and appeal.
An appealing and historically significant 1861 Seated Half Dollar, this PCGS MS64 CAC example is a choice acquisition for the type collector, Civil War enthusiast, or advanced student of Liberty Seated silver.