1862-S 50C MS64 PCGS CAC EX NEWMAN

This 1862-S Liberty Seated Half Dollar is a premium survivor from one of the more fascinating Civil War-era issues struck at the San Francisco Mint. With a substantial mintage of 1,352,000 pieces—more than five times the output of its Philadelphia counterpart—the issue nonetheless remains surprisingly elusive in Mint State. Unlike the East, where silver coins were hoarded due to waning confidence in paper currency, the coinage in the West remained in active circulation, sharply limiting long-term preservation. PCGS estimates just 700 examples survive in all grades today, making high-end specimens especially challenging. The present coin is a superbly preserved Mint State representative, displaying fully original surfaces and exceptional toning character. This coin is Tied for Second Finest CAC as a POP 3/1 after the MS66 PCGS CAC that sold for $47,000 07/20 LE; however, we do believe this to be inflated and likely is a POP 2/1. The obverse glows with a soft champagne-silver core, framed by pale gold, olive-brown, and russet accents around the stars and rim—natural hues that signal stable long-term album storage. Liberty’s figure is crisply defined, with frosty texture across the gown and shield that contrasts subtly against the satin-smooth fields. The reverse reveals a rich tapestry of dove-gray, golden-peach, and soft rose-lilac toning. No CAC-approved example has traded in MS64, except for this exact example for $11,162 11/13 HA when it was in an NGC CAC holder. 12 years later no CAC example has been approved and none has sold, except for a lower grade MS63 PCGS CAC for $5,280 01/25 HA and $7,800 06/22 HA.