These numbers are from the Blue Book: 1913 Barber quarter.....mintage (484,000)......MS63.....$750 1913 " (proof) " (613) PF63 $400 Why is the value of the proof less than the regular strike? With a total population of only 613 (and how many are forever lost,) it seems to me this would qualify it as more rare than the regular strike. This is just an example of this proof vrs. regular comparison. WHY?
It is far more difficult to find a business strike Barber in an MS63 state. Cash was used for every transaction in those days and twenty five cents was a meaningful amount of cash. Folks didn’t store coins in their sock drawers like they do these days. They used their money. A proof coin would be expected to be cared for over the years. A business strike would be used.
Your answer is validated by the pcgs population report: (38) in PR63 and (20) in MS63. I had not thought to look there until reading your analysis and was hoping it was the other way around so as to be able to argue.
