Prior to advent of the steam press, coins were struck from dies with an open collar and with unreliable organic power, and that allowed expansion of the planchet to occur at an unmanaged rate. Thus, lettered-edge half-dollars struck in 1836 and prior vary considerably in diameter and thickness. The new reeded-edge half-dollars promised consistency, and provided an opportunity to develop best practices for the new technology before other denominations came online. Still, uncirculated examples demonstrate some variation in terms of sharpness, and this example is not fully struck, likely made prior to subsequent optimization of striking pressure settings.

As mentioned, details are not strictly complete for this coin, with softness noted in Liberty's hair above the ear, at the temple, and at the large uppermost fold in the cap. Likewise, the eagle displays distinct softness in the feathers where the left (observed) wing joins the shield, and his left talon is also indistinct. That being said, luster swirls gently through the fields, obscured to modest extent by generous platinum-grey patina with a faint hint of pinkish-mauve overtone. A number of brief, wispy hairlines cross over the cheek and most likely attest to long and proud placement in an album, the protective slide opened on numerous occasions to reveal the precious beauty within. One diagonal mark on the forehead, and a single pinpoint dig in the obverse right field left of the ninth star are the primary abrasions.