1869 50C Liberty Seated Half Dollar PCGS PR64

With an original mintage of 600 pieces, this issue starts off as a rarity. But when you consider that a few hundred were cleaned over the years, then it become even rarer, for such treatment lowered the number of original pieces that could receive a number grade. Rich reddish-golden toning adorns both sides of this beauty. PCGS has graded 60 in PR64, with only 24 finer.

This eye-catching near Gem displays sharply detailed devices and well-preserved reflective fields throughout. Ron Guth writes, "Proof 1869 Half Dollars have the same mintage as the 1868's but they are slightly more common overall and the general quality is also better. For instance, the most frequently-seen grade on the 1869's is PR64 compared to PR63 for the 1868's. For collectors, this means that the 1869's offer a slightly better value than several of the other contemporary dates, including the 1868."

Christian Gobrecht, who crafted the Liberty Seated design.