1909-O 50C MS65 Certification #13511164, PCGS #6517

Mintage: 925,400; Weight: 12.5 grams; Composition: .900 silver, .100 copper; Diameter: 30.6 mm; Reeded Edge; Designer: Charles E. Barber ===== Purchased from Harry Laibstain Rare Coins – February 2009. ex. Dale Friend. The 1909-O Barber Half was the final New Orleans Barber Half before that facility permanently shut off its coin presses and is one of the better dates in the series. The present example exhibits a trace of champagne toning, surrounded by pale lilac in the obverse fields. The reverse is mostly brilliant with frosty silver surfaces and traces of similar pale lilac, more intense at the lower right. The far right of the shield on the reverse is slightly weak, which is common for the date, but the coin is otherwise boldly detailed. A couple of small hidden marks likely limit the grade. The coin is easily one of my favorite coins in the set as it has the eye appeal of an MS66 or MS67 example and is one of the best survivors of the date. The grade of this coin has been approved by CAC.

Ron Guth

The 1909-O Half Dollar is somewhat scarce.  Apparently, its status as the last issue from the New Orleans Mint meant little or nothing to collectors, as there was no rush to hoard this date.  As a result, Mint State examples are not as plentiful as might be expected.  In fact, the 1909-O behaves like the 1908-S -- similar populations centered around the MS64 grade, with few Gems, and really few Superb examples.  Akers alluded to the strike on this issue, suggesting that it was usually weak, but such is not the case on the examples we've seen.  Rather, this date comes fairly well struck for a New Orleans issue, with only an occasional example showing weakness on the upper right shield.

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David Akers

The 1909-O Barber Half Dollar had a low mintage of less than 1,000,000 pieces, and it represents the final year from this historic southern mint. In mint state condition, all grades considered, the 1909-O is only scarce and not rare. This means that in grades below Gem condition, it can be obtained with only a moderate amount of difficulty. However, strictly graded Gems...are very rare, and those that are well struck and have excellent luster and eye appeaal are even more rare since they constitute only a very small fraction of the available mint state specimens. This issue is considerably more rare than either of the two immediately preceding O Mint issues, i.e. the 1907-O and 1908-O, but, of course, it is not nearly as rare as any of the O Mint issue prior to 1907.