1895-S Barber Half Dollar. MS-66 (PCGS).Enchanting premium Gem surfaces are highly lustrous with a bold frosty texture to both sides. The centers are brilliant and framed in charming peripheral toning of iridescent copper-rose and powder blue. Virtually full in strike, a touch of softness to the eagles left talon and the arrow feathers is so minor as to be hardly worth mentioning. An expertly produced, carefully preserved coin with abundant eye appeal.<p>For the connoisseur of high quality coins, the Barber half dollar series of 1892 to 1915 is among the more challenging to collect. Mintages are universally limited by the standards of the era, the highest single output attributed to the 1908-O with 5,360,000 pieces produced. Most other issues in this series saw fewer than 2 million coins struck, often fewer than 1.5 million. Attrition through circulation was high for the type as a whole, and the vast majority of survivors are in the lowest circulated grades, with VG and Fine being typical. Only limited numbers of Mint State coins were preserved, and this is particularly true for many of the early mintmarked issues from the 1890s. Indeed, the 1895-S is among the more elusive Barber halves in high grades and the present example ranks among the finest known survivors from a mintage of just 1,108,086 pieces. A beautiful and important Gem that would serve with distinction in an advanced collection.
