1859-S Liberty Seated Half Dollar. WB-6. Rarity-3. Medium S. MS-64+ (NGC).Exquisite brilliant white surfaces are sharply struck with a full endowment of intensely frosted luster. Uncommonly smooth with outstanding visual appeal, this is easily one of the finest certified 1859-S half dollars available to todays discerning collectors. The San Francisco Mint released its first half dollar coinage in 1855, and as with most issues from that coinage facility, virtually all of the mintage was sent immediately into circulation, a scenario that played out annually. Indeed, the 1855-S half dollar is a key date in the design type. By 1859, the San Francisco Mint was churning out half dollars in near-record numbers. Though 566,000 half dollars of this date were struck, their usefulness in commerce was such that todays survivor of the 1859-S issue is apt to be a well worn VG to VF specimen. Higher grade circulated examples are elusive, especially near the Mint State threshold. Few were the collectors in America at that time, especially on the West Coast, and even fewer yet were those who collected branch mint silver coinage. This beautiful Choice half dollar no doubt was saved more by chance than intent.
