Ron Guth:
With a mintage of only 12,000 coins, the 1889 Half Dollar commands immediate attention. Fortunately, collectors put aside enough Mint State examples that they are not outrageously expensive today. Our experts believe that as many as two hundred Mint State examples have survived, though not all have been certified yet by PCGS. As with most Half Dollars of this era, the most frequently encountered Mint State grade is MS64, with smaller quantities below and above. At least a dozen MS66 examples are known, but none finer.