By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers ……
While the Franklin half dollar was first introduced for circulation in 1948, Proof examples were not issued by the United States Mint until 1950. The Mint had suspended Proof coinage in 1942 with the onset of World War II, and would not produce these special strikes for nearly a decade. Demand for Proof coinage was evidently high, as these new mintages were exponentially higher than those from earlier in the century. The 1950 is not only the first Proof half dollar of this type, but it is also the most challenging to collect. Its mintage of 51,386 Proofs is the lowest in this series, and most survivors show considerable evidence of having been poorly made or carelessly handled.
We are thrilled to offer a Proof-67+ Cameo (NGC) CAC 1950 half dollar in lot 4110 of our March 2021 Las Vegas Auction. This piece ranks among the very finest known, with only three coins graded finer by NGC in this category and just a single coin listed higher at CAC. It is an exceptionally well-produced and preserved example of a key date issue. The surfaces are brilliant, silky smooth, and virtually pristine. Richly frosted devices starkly contrast with the mirrored fields with an intensity that is close to a Deep Cameo designation. The true radiance of this piece is best showcased through our proprietary Coins in Motion imaging technology, which can be seen below.
If you would like to consign to an upcoming sale or have questions about the consignment process, please contact us today at [email protected] or 800-566-2580.