1892-S Barber Half Dollar. MS-62 (PCGS). Decidedly semi-prooflike in finish, reflective fields support frosty, fully impressed design elements on both sides. A handsome piece, the surfaces are also lightly toned in speckled orange-russet patina that is largely confined to the peripheries. The premier San Francisco Mint Barber half dollar issue, the 1892-S is a low mintage affair that is scarce to rare in all grades. Apparently little interest was paid to this first-year issue from the West Coast branch mint, for the 1892-S is far more elusive than the (slightly) lower mintage 1892, which issue was widely saved at the time of delivery. In attractive Mint State, as here, this issue enjoys particularly strong demand among advanced collectors of Barber coinage.
