This is the finest specimen offered or that I have seen. — Harold BarefordA lovely, choice dime, with a light blue toned obverse periphery embracing hints of olive around a golden-gray center and a reverse toned gold with a frame of rose and blue. As pretty and free of flaws as could be at this grade, showing lively luster and no significant marks. The centers and Libertys profile are just a trifle soft, better than usually seen on this variety to be sure. A charming piece graced with a fine provenance to several collectors known for their taste and connoisseurship.Harold Bareford, who had an exacting eye for quality before it was common practice, praised this coin as superb in every respect, with mint lustre. He noted, this is the finest specimen offered or that I have seen, quite an endorsement considering Bareford was well known for his taste (and his love of early dimes) for most of the post-World War II era. Ed Price agreed with his assessment, writing this is the finest I have seen or heard of. The Pittman catalog offered another specimen of this variety that is considered among the top few pieces, describing it as one of the two finest specimens known. Only the Bareford-Lovejoy-Menjou coin seems to rival this coin in terms of overall quality. On the topic of the Pittman coin, Price wrote I believe it is not nearly as desirable as this coin (i.e. the Price-Pogue coin presently offered) or even as the Eliasberg coin. I also owned the Eliasberg coin for several years. It was a very Choice AU coin that did rival this coin in overall appearance, but was clearly not quite this nice.Among the other three coins certified as MS-62 by PCGS, one is a JR-2, whose weakly struck profile is typical of the variety but makes it less pleasing to represent the date or type. Another is the Pittman coin, with its substantial obverse scratch, last sold in the September 2002 Bowers and Merena sale. We suspect the third MS-62 is actually a second appearance of this coin, likely before it was sold to Ed Price.
