Lovely Toned 1856 Half Dime MS62 PCGS, Great Type Coin. In 1853 through 1855 the Mint placed arrows at the date of silver coins (save for the fiat money three cent silver) to signify a slightly reduced silver content. The reduction was precipitated by the enormous influx of California gold in the early 1850s, making silver and dollars relatively worth more: Silver coins’ melt values exceeded their face values, and many early-1850s silver coins were melted.
The arrows were removed in 1856. The half dimes of this year were struck in a large amount, more than 4.8 million coins. Most of them show careless strikes (or die crumbling at the rims), and this piece is a typical example. In terms of surfaces it should grade MS64, but the denticles on both sides are largely weak to absent. Beautiful color and good preservation are pluses, however, and the generous mintage makes this a great candidate for a type set.