USA ½ dollar Barber Half Dollar 1899
USA, San Francisco
Rarity
Common
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | ½ dollar |
| Krause number | KM# 116 |
| Mintage | 1,686,411 |
| Metal | Silver 0.900 |
| thickness | 1.8 mm |
| diameter | 30.6 mm |
| weight | 12.5 g |
Obverse:
Liberty
Star
Creators:
Charles Edward Barber
IN GOD WE TRUST
Reverse:
Coat of arms
Description:
Eagle (heraldry)
Creators:
Charles Edward Barber
E PLURIBUS UNUM
HALF DOLLAR
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
This issue is moderately scarce in all grades. Most circulated to the point where they grade Good at best, and problem-free examples in the popular grades of F through VF are particularly elusive. Due to the unique chapter in American history, there is an abundance of coins Details grading AU and MS. There are the Philippine export pieces sent to that archipelago following the Spanish-American war for the use of both occupation forces and the indigenous population. These circulated just a few years before an entirely new series of Philippine coins debuted in 1903. Hoarded by the locals as good silver, the half dollars dates 1898-S, 1899-S and 1900-S were mostly repatriated after World War II, by which time they'd become quite deeply toned. Most were then improperly cleaned, leaving a fairly small population of coins that receive numeric grades. Mint State survivors fall into the category of ex-Philippine coins that are either Details graded or at the low end of MS grading. The small number of gems are pieces which have come from other sources, most likely specimens obtained by collectors directly from the mint in 1899. That practice is well documented, though few availed themselves of that opportunity at the time. Varieties are limited to date and mintmark positions, though this issue is known with either the S mintmark of 1892-98 (sharp serifs) or the new one introduced this year (slightly rounded serifs). There seems to be little interest by collectors in securing both varieties.Read More
