1909-S Barber Half Dollar, Mint State-67 (PCGS)
Exceptionally Toned, Superb 67+

Inverted Mintmark

Purely on the basis of condition, this is one of my all time favorite Barber Halves. The luster is satiny and original, which exhibits a subtle, multi-axial cartwheel when turned under a light. The strike just misses being complete, with the reverse arrow feathers lacking some of their finest details. Natural toning envelopes both obverse and reverse, a vivid blend of iridescent blue, violet, rose, and amber that immediately grabs your attention. Contact marks are very few, as we should expect for the grade, with a single reed mark on Liberty's jawline, a thin mark on her chin, and a thin line in the lower reverse field above OL the most notable. In all respects, this is easily equivalent to what PCGS has certified as MS68 in the past. At the least, this is certainly one of the top few for the issue.

PCGS reports seven 1909-S Halves certified as MS-67, with none higher. For comparison, the John C. Hugon 1909-S sold in January 2005 (Heritage: lot 4255) for $20,700 as NGC MS68, but was downgraded to PCGS MS67 shortly thereafter.