does anyone have any information on any of the 1899-o specimen barber halves

Im curious to learn anything I can about these. Particularly past sales results, and or photos, striking characteristics etc. Any help or info would be greatly appreciated.

 

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Specimen strike you say? I've seen a few prooflike examples, but a specimen strike? Hmmm.....

Sorry, can't help you. But I am VERY interested in any responses.

 

To the best of my knowledge the US doesn't strike specimen coins.
Patterns, yes. Trials, yes. But I don't know of any specimens.
And particularly not except for the first year of the design (or modification).

Paper money and stamps have lots of specimens.

 

1899-O Specimen? Does not exist. THere were 849 Proofs minted in 1899, but like all proofs of that era they were minted at the Philadelphia mint, not New Orleans.

An 1899-O is going to be a business strike coin only.

 

PCGS has certified 6 specimen examples for 1899-o.

 

You're probably reading where Coinfacts said "PCGS has certified 8 specimens MS66".

That means 8 examples, 8 pieces, 8 copies, 8 coins, etc. No such thing as a Specimen Strike O-Mint barber.

 

Thats not what I was reading, but after taking a look at the pop reports I was presented with erroneous information. That being said, I have seen specimen strike o-mint and s-mint barbers that were clearly made from proof dies. The branch mints often prepared special presentation pieces. There are also numerous proof morgan cc dollars amongst other things. They are very very scarce and usually sell for well over 50k. I have reason to believe that even if PCGS has not certified any specimen 1899-o barber halves, that they exist. I cannot elaborate more than that atm unfortunately. I can say that I am researching some pieces that may have been previously thought to not exist.

 

The Eliasberg sale in 1997 had a "Possibly Finest known" 1899-O MS-66 sold for 16,500. Purchased by Clapp directly from mint in Nov. 1899, estate sold to Eliasberg 1942.
"Die has a very delicate crack from the last digit of the date to neck tip and star 13"

Jim

 

Also, if anyone has any good references on branch mint proofs in general, could you please let me know what they are, and I'll track them down.

 

I really wish I had been interested in coins when the eliasberg collection went up for sale. It must have been a great joy to see the collection in it's entirety.

 

To my knowledge, branch mint proofs are really the exception rather than the rule. I know that there's something like 4 1884-CC Morgan proofs known, and that they made about a dozen Proof CC Morgans in 1893 to commemorate the end of coinage at the Carson City Mint. Then there's the Zerbe Morgan proofs made in San Francisco in 1921, those were made for friends of the Mint Director.

None of these were "Normal" proofs. Then there's the 1894-S Dime, those are considered proofs but they certainly were not made to be regularly issued to collectors.

I did E-Mail a dealer that I know who is VERY knowledgeable about Barbers, he said that there's one 1892-O Proof Barber Half known to exist. Apparently it was assumed to be a unique presentation piece made at the resumption of half dollar coinage at the New Orleans mint. It's apparently a proof in surface state only and is a typical weak strike NO mint coin.

Surely someone else on the board knows more than I.

 

(3) of my more treasured auction catalogs are that of the Eliasberg collection. Awesome beautiful coins.

 

Budgood, I keep those and the Norweb Collection auction catalogs on my reference shelf. The rest I can go dig up in storage. They are coins for a higher level than mine.

Jim