1880 Half Dollar - 1880 50C Seated Liberty NGC MS67. Light central devices with darker toned fields characterized this superb, rare Seated Liberty 1880 Half Dollar, which is tied for the finest known at NGC and PCGS . The lustrous piece shows shades of light gold and grey on Liberty with sliver-grey and greenish tones in the background, which become darker to the rim ending in brown and blue next to the dentils. The eagle is mainly grey and white with hints of blue and green in its wings, arrow feathers and olive branch. The background is light blue that becomes dark closer to the rim. Shades of dark brown, tan, and gold are also seen. The sharp strike is seen in the full details of the centers of the stars, Libertys head, and the lower left of the eagle. The surfaces are original, flawlessly clean, and free of defects.

Both before and during the Civil War almost a dozen Protestant denominations pressured Congress to add references to God to the Constitution and other government documents. Watkinsons suggestion for a motto was God, Liberty, Law. Chase ordered Mint Director Pollock to prepare a suitable motto. Pollocks suggestions included Our Trust Is In God, Our God And Our Country, and God Our Trust. Then Chase decided on In God We Trust to be added to most of the nations coinage. This motto was a subtle reminder that the North considered itself on the side of God with regard to the issue of slavery. A new law was required to allow the motto to be added since previous acts of Congress specified the mottos and devices that were permitted on coins. The Coinage Act of 1865 created the authority to place the motto on all coins that were deemed large enough to accommodate it. In 1866 it was placed on the half eagle, the eagle and the double eagle as well as on silver coinage and the shield nickel. It wasnt until the newly designed double eagles of Augusts Saint-Gaudens that the motto was briefly omitted in 1907 because of President Theodore Roosevelts objection to it.

Christian Gobrecht designed the Seated Liberty half dollar. The obverse depicts Liberty seated looking over her shoulder to the left. She balances the Union Shield inscribed LIBERTY with her right hand and holds a staff on which is placed a Phrygian cap in her left. There are seven stars to the left and six to the right interrupted by her head and the capped pole. The dated is below. The reverse shows the heraldic eagle looking left. It is surrounded by the required inscription and the denomination written as HALF DOL. below. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides of the coin. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST is added to a banner above the eagle.

With an original mintage of 8,400, the 1880 half dollar is rare in all grades. In its population report, NGC shows it to be tied for the finest known at MS67 with 6 others. At PCGS there is 1 at MS67 with none better.