1949-S 50C, FBL MS(PCGS#86655)

1949-S 50C, FBL MS (PCGS#86655)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Lot Description: A pretty example with slightly mottled reddish-russet and champagne-apricot peripheral toning on otherwise silver-gray surfaces. The obverse is the more colorful of the two sides, but both are equally lustrous with an intense satin finish. The strike is full, and the appearance is virtually pristine. Once regarded as the rarest Franklin half dollar in Gem Mint State preservation, the 1949-S as an issue certainly suffered a higher rate of attrition through circulation than the 1948 and 1948-D. In more recent decades, however, third-party certification data has shown that this issue is not actually the leading rarity in its series in MS-65. On the other hand, the 1949-S remains a formidable strike rarity as most Uncirculated examples do not qualify for a Full Bell Lines designation from PCGS or NGC. In MS-67+ FBL this issue is exceedingly rare, and precious few and far between are the occasions when advanced collectors have an opportunity to secure one of these special coins.