1795 50C O-121 Y over Star (Regular Strike)

The 1795 Overton-121 Half Dollar is an unusual variety in which the Y of LIBERTY was punched over an existing star in the die. This variety is considered moderately scarce. Many 1795 O-121's are well struck, with several showing full hair and feather details. For instance, in 1968, Lester Merkin sold an example from an old Philadelphia Estate that ended up in Walter Breen's “Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Proof Coins, 1722-1989” (New Revised and Corrected Edition, page 32) where he described it as “The solitary [Half Doillar] nearest to qualifying as a presentation piece for the year...Though this piece shows no mirror like finish in fields, it was carefully positioned and given two blows in perfect alignment. As a result, it appears exceptionally high relief…” This particular coin has since been certified by both NGC and PCGS as a Mint State piece (MS63), but among all 1795 Half Dollars it ranks as once of the best-struck. Another superlative example is the PCGS MS64 from the Pogue Collection, which also features an unusually strong strike.