1850 Large Date

The 1850 Large Date opens the high-mintage stretch of the Type 1 No Motto decade and stands as the standard issue within a documented date-size variety pair, the third such pair in the series after the 1839 transitional logotypes and the 1842 Large Date/Small Date split. Catalogers divide the combined Philadelphia mintage of 291,451 pieces between two punch logotypes, with the Large Date carrying tall numerals whose flag-stand of the 5 terminates in a sharp point close to the ball, while the point of the 1 lines up with the truncation of the bust. The Large Date is roughly two and a half times more common than its Small Date counterpart and accounts for the bulk of 1850 Philadelphia coins encountered in commerce. The decade-opening production surge reflects the California bullion influx that began reaching the Mint in volume in 1849, pushing eagle output from the modest five-figure runs of the 1840s into territory that would define the No Motto era through the late 1850s.

Variety attribution drives the premium structure and is the primary diagnostic concern with raw examples. The Large Date shows tall, robust digits with the distinctive flag-stand geometry on the 5, while the Small Date uses noticeably more compact and lighter figures. Strike quality on Large Date pieces is typically average for the period, with stars showing acceptable radial separation and Liberty's curls reasonably defined; weakness when present concentrates at the eagle's neck feathers and shield lines. Standard physical authentication applies: 16.718 grams, 27 mm diameter, specific gravity near 17.2, reeded edge with coin alignment. Cast counterfeits betray themselves through edge seams, granular field texture, and weight deficiencies inconsistent with the .900 fine alloy.

Survivor distribution skews heavily to circulated grades, with Extremely Fine and About Uncirculated examples forming the practical collecting tier for most Type 1 specialists. Mint State coins are rare in absolute terms, with no Gem-grade examples documented and the condition census topping out in the low MS63 range. Doug Winter has noted that 1850 Large Date examples surface with enough regularity at major venues that a representative Choice AU coin can be acquired without extended search, while the Small Date commands a meaningful premium reflecting its lower survivor count. For Type 1 No Motto collectors building a Philadelphia run, the Large Date serves as the accessible entry into the 1850 two-coin variety set. For broader context on the design progression and No Motto subseries, see the Liberty Head Eagle series history.