RARE AND UNDERRATED BORDERLINE GEM 1860-S HALF DOLLAR

WB-102, Medium S Mintmark.

All silver denominations dated 1860-S are very rare in Uncirculated and while the half dollar is the most available of the three (the Dime and the Quarter are rare and excessively rare in high grades, respectively) it qualifies as a really rare issue in MS64. In fact, no Gems are known.

This is the singe finest 1860-S half dollar I have owned and it would likely be graded MS65 were it not for a very shallow mint-made planchet void over the BE in LIBERTY. The luster is uncharacteristically bold with a rich satiny texture and some attractive flecks of golden-russet can be seen on both sides. This is from a later die state with noticeable clashmarks on the obverse and these are really the only things visible on the entire coin.

The Gardner example, graded MS64 by PCGS, sold in 2014 for $7,050 while the Jewell coin, a nice PCGS MS64 with CAC approval, realized a record $12,925 in 2013.

For all intents and purposes this is the best available quality for the date and it easily qualifies as a Condition Census example. An important Seated half dollar for the specialist.