1900-O 50C MS66 认证号25695251, PCGS号6487

Laibstain. Richmond collection sold at auction by David Lawrence Rare Coins. Our coin is tied with two others as finest known of those graded by PCGS. The 1900-O is a very difficult date in MS 64 and finer, and a few have proof-like finishes like the Norweb coin in MS 66 that was in the Duckor collection, and two other MS 64 examples we once owned. The 1900-O is one of our most favorite Barber half issues. This is a very nice and lustrous clean frosty coin that is better struck than the Norweb coin, but has a satiny luster, not the proof-like features alluded to above. The 1900-O, along with the 1901-O and 1902-O are the most consistently poorly struck coins in the whole series. Very few coins are graded MS 65 and higher; the 00-O is tougher in gem grade than the 04-S and the 96-O. Strike can vary from poor to decent and it is generally better to get a better struck coin for a particular grade than a weak strike. Gene Edwards, a dealer very knowledgeable in Barber halves several decades ago, without benefit of third-party grading, population reports, or the Internet, knew that this date virtually never comes fully struck. With the current technologies and grading, his observations still hold up. Such knowledge took years to accumulate in those days, but now is more easily disseminated with the Internet, third-party grading, Registry Sets with images, and auction archives with images. Remember this when you peruse the Coin Facts site of PCGS; they are providing all of this immensely important information in a very handy format at a low cost. The 1900-O is another tough date to find in nice mid and upper circulated grades. A look at the population reports will reveal that not many have been graded above AU 50.

Ron Guth

The 1900-O Barber Half Dollar is a semi-scarce and underrated date, more so than is generally believed.  It compares favorably with the 1901-O and 1902-O, both of which share similar population profiles.  Mint State 1900-O Half Dollars are seen most often in MS64, then MS63; rarely so in MS65 and MS66.  None are known in MS67, which is quite a statement for a Barber Half Dollar.