half-union
The half union (separate varieties known as J-1546 through J-1549) was a United States pattern coin with a face value of fifty U.S. It is often thought of as one of the most significant and well-known patterns in the history of the U.S. The basic design, featuring Liberty on the obverse, was slightly modified from the similar $20 "Liberty Head" Double Eagle, which was designed by James B. Longacre and minted from 1849 to 1907. Today, two gold specimens belong to the Smithsonian. No others are known to exist.
half-union
National Museum of American History · National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History (Image uploaded by Godot13) · Public domain
- Field
- coin of the United States dollar and gold coin.
- Region
- United States.
- Related practice
- gold and copper.
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Documentary summary
The half union (separate varieties known as J-1546 through J-1549) was a United States pattern coin with a face value of fifty U.S. It is often thought of as one of the most significant and well-known patterns in the history of the U.S. The basic design, featuring Liberty on the obverse, was slightly modified from the similar $20 "Liberty Head" Double Eagle, which was designed by James B. Longacre and minted from 1849 to 1907. Today, two gold specimens belong to the Smithsonian. No others are known to exist.
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wikidata · Q5641629 · wikipedia · Half union
In this article
History
History
There are also copper specimens of the coin that can go for more than $300,000 in PF-65 condition. The half union was never released for circulation. Some half unions can have a somewhat smaller or larger head than others.
In 1877, famed Chief Engraver of the Mint at the time, William Barber, designed the coin. William Barber also designed several other coins, such as the "Amazonian Quarter" pattern, the short-lived Twenty Cent Piece, and the Trade Dollar. The coin was designed to weigh roughly 2.5 ounces and be made of solid gold. Had it been made for circulation with the general public, the coin would have been the highest valued gold coin ever made at the time, with a face value of fifty dollars. As it is a pattern, it was never struck for circulation and all other known presentation versions were made of copper or sometimes various gilded metals. Only two examples were actually struck in gold, and today both reside in the Smithsonian.
Commemorative coin
Commemorative coin
In 1915, a gold commemorative coin was issued in $50 denomination, the Panama–Pacific half union. It was minted in round and octagonal varieties, the latter being the only United States coin issued to date that is not round.
The $50 Half-union large head coin (obverse) was struck only as a pattern, designed by William Barber, Chief Engraver of the United States Mint. This specimen is in the National Numismatic Collection. Image provided by the NNC specifically for Wikipedia use.
National Museum of American History · National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History (Image uploaded by Godot13)
1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific 50 Dollar Round (obv) (1209-3551)
Heritage Auctions (image) · Heritage Auctions Lot 3551, 4 September 2014
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Judd, J. Hewitt. United States Pattern Coins. 2009.
- 2.1877 $50 J-1546 (Proof). PCGS Coin Facts (PGCSCoinFacts.com). Collector's Universe, 2016.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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