1901-S Barber Half Dollar, Mint State-67 (PCGS/SP)
Rare Date Gem, PCGS Pop. 2/0, Ex Hugon

Type 2 Obverse - Liberty's inner ear curved, showing cartilage and with a small lobe.

Original, satiny luster turns slightly reflective on the reverse, and is veiled with natural, light ice blue and yellow gold toning which is just barely filmy. The strike is generally sharp with the obverse details complete, yet the reverse shows characteristic weakness at the upper right corner of the shield, the eagle's leg at right, and the arrow feathers. This striking weakness is present on all of the higher grade examples. There are a few scattered contact marks that can easily be forgiven, including a milling mark in Liberty's cap under N, another in the left obverse field right of star 4, and in the lower right obverse field inside of star 12. Overall, this is an exceptional Gem example of one of the rarest dates in the series.

PCGS has certified two 1901-S Barber Halves as MS-67, this coin and the ex Emery-Nichols MS67 currently in the Dr. and Mrs. Steven L. Duckor Collection. Giving the nod to Dr. Duckor's MS67 as the Finest Known, this coin is most likely second finest, followed by the ex Eliasberg NGC MS-67 in third place.

Provenance:

• John C. Hugon (Heritage 1/2005: lot 4228 @ $34,500 as PCGS MS67)
• (Heritage 7/2009: lot 1135 @ $54,625 as PCGS MS67)