1856-S 50C MS(PCGS#6289)

August 2011 Chicago ANA - Rarities Night

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

7057

Grade

AU55

Price

3,163

Lot Description

1856-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar. WB-102. No Drapery. AU-55 (PCGS). A rare die state that is seldom offered in any grade, and almost unheard at this grade level--in fact this is the Finest Known example of the variety. The all important obverse is clean and attractive, with dove-gray to silver color on that side and the reverse matches in color but has some patches of raised corrosion on the lower third of the coin on the left side. Noted specialists Randy Wiley and Bill Bugert estimate that approximately 5 percent of the survivors of this date are the "No Drapery" coins, and from a tiny original mintage of 211,000 pieces in all, this certainly presents a mere handful that likely survived in any grade, perhaps a few dozen or so of this important die state. Of these select coins, this one is the best seen despite its minor surface problems on the reverse.