1913 50C PR67 NGC
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The small proof mintage of the 1913 half dollar makes it difficult to locate in the first place, however it becomes an even greater rarity with its lofty grade. This specimen would be perfect to include in a supercharged collection of all of the proof Barber half dollars from 1892 to 1916. Another option would be to develop a type set of exceptional proof pieces from the three popular Barber denominations (dime, quarter, half dollar). Numismatic scholar and art critic Cornelius Vermeule writes that, "The designs of Barber's coins were more attuned to the times than even he perhaps realized." Continuing, the scholar writes, "Liberty's cap, incised diadem, and wreath of laurel were designed to echo all the depth and volume of her Olympian countenance. The classical substances are offset, almost literally, by the sharply rectangular dentils of the raised rim and the strength of 13 six-pointed stars. On the [reverse] ... an equal constellation of stars ... is clustered above the eagle's shaggy, craggy profile. On both sides the simple dignity of motto, legend, and denomination binds the pictorialism into a cohesive tondo. The wealth of irregular surfaces and sharp angles is an almost electrifying aesthetic experience. ... Uncirculated [and proof] specimens [are] a pleasure to contemplate. The sculptor was unsurpassed in the mechanics of creating a durable design of monumental validity."
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