Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that the annual tax on dogs, in the county of Chester, shall hereafter be for one dog only, owned, possessed, or kept about any house, the sum of fifty cents. -- Laws of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1821The only circulation strike half dollar dated 1821 in the D. Brent Pogue Collection is the single finest example of the date certified by PCGS. It is a wonder to behold, fresh and frosty, no less lustrous than the moment it was coined in Philadelphia. The overall dark golden tone glows with deep rose around the obverse design elements, particularly at the periphery. The reverse is more sedate and even in coloration, but no less lustrous and lovely. The details are excellent overall, free from even the lightest suggestion of cabinet friction, but show some areas of striking softness. The tip of the bust and the lettering opposite it (A of STATES and UR of PLURIBUS) are somewhat ill-defined, as are many of the star centers and the top of Libertys cap. The technical near-perfection of the fields is barely disturbed by a scant few hairlines and a minor abrasion just off Libertys chin. The die states are perfect, uncracked and unfatigued. With its supreme visual appeal and outstanding preservation, this is an unsurpassable example of the date.This coin last sold publicly in our January 1999 sale as part of the superlative half dollar collection of Douglas Noblet, a collector known for his good humor, near-constant donning of a fishermans vest, and exacting taste for high quality specimens of his favorite denomination. As noted in the biography of Mr. Noblet that prefaced the sale of his half dollar collection, "as a 12-year-old in 1961, without soccer, Super Nintendo, VHS movies, or 200 television channels available 24 hours a day, the local hobby shop in Kansas City, Missouri was pretty much the place to hang out." A lifelong hobby bloomed from the smallest of seeds, in a tale that could be told by many of those who read these words.This is the first public auction offering of any 1821 half dollar graded MS-66 or finer by PCGS. Just two specimens have been graded at the MS-66 level, while only this coin has been recognized as MS-66+ by PCGS. While lower grade 1821 half dollars are not particularly uncommon, gem condition specimens of this date are as rare or rarer than any date from the first half of the Capped Bust half dollar series.
