1944 Walking Liberty Half Dollar. MS-68 (PCGS). CAC. Subtle pale gold and powder blue highlights accent the overall pearly and brilliant surfaces of this amazing example. The surfaces are blanketed in satiny luster that remains as bright, fresh and smooth as the day the coin emerged from the dies. Flashy and attractive with a razor sharp to full strike.<p>By 1944 the United States economy was well into the boom of the Second World War and the mints were busy churning out millions of new coins for use in commerce. The Philadelphia Mint struck 28,206,000 half dollars that year, and survivors have always been plentiful up through MS-66. However, this focus on quantity created compromises in quality, and many 1944 half dollars show inconsistent strike and weak luster. At the very pinnacle of quality and preservation, as offered here, the 1944 develops into a noteworthy condition rarity. This magnificent MS-68 is tied with just one other example at the top of the <em>PCGS Population Report</em>, and it sits alone at the top of the CAC census. Significantly, a CAC-approved PCGS MS-68 for this issue has never been sold at public auction before, making this an important offering for true connoisseurs of the series. From the Lulu Collection, the #1 all-time finest PCGS Walking Liberty Half Dollars Short Set. Earlier ex Heritages Boston ANA Signature Coin Auction of August 2010, lot 3262.
