1942-S 50C MS(PCGS#6617)

Spring 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

4198

Grade

MS66+

Price

3,480

Lot Description

Smooth, soft mint luster flows over surfaces that are brilliant in the centers, attractively toned in golden-russet iridescence around much of the peripheries. Trailing only the 1941-S, the 1942-S is the scarcest Walking Liberty half dollar "short set" issue in the finest Mint State grades. With a mintage of 12.7 million coins, the 1942-S half dollar is readily available in grades up through MS-65, but becomes progressively rarer as one advances into the uppermost reaches of the numismatic grading scale. Furthermore, striking quality also presents a significant challenge, as a combination of die fatigue and inconsistent striking pressure resulted in poor detail and inferior luster even on many well preserved examples. This PCGS/CAC MS-66+ is well above average in both respects, and it also offers outstanding visual appeal.