1921 Fifty Cents
During the early to mid-1920s, demand for 50-cent pieces was minimal. Only 28,000 pieces were issued between 1921 and 1929. When greater demand for the denomination arose in 1929, the Master of the Ottawa Mint decided to melt the stock of 1920 and 1921 coins. It amounted to a total of 480,392 coins. The decision was due to the belief that the public would suspect counterfeits if a large number of coins dated 1920 and 1921 were placed into circulation. It is believed that 75 or so of the 1921 coins have survived, mainly from sets that were sold at the time. Long known as the "King of Canadian Coins", this piece brings a price commensurate with its rarity and reputation, with a high grade example (PCGS MS-66) having sold for US$227,546 (this price includes buyers premium but not the taxes) in a January 2010 Heritage Auction. The highest graded specimen is graded by PCGS at MS-67 and sold (by Diverse Equities) in the year 2000 to a private collector for the then sum of $400,000. Today this coin would most likely bring $1 million at an auction.
Condition rarity: Almost all examples are found in good to very good condition, which means in heavily circulated condition. Based on the ICCS report of 2012 only 1 has been graded in fine condition. A total of 0 have been graded in very fine and 0 in extra fine. There are also 6 known in AU condition. Only 3 mint state examples of the King of Canadian coins exist making it extremely elusive and desirable. On average a mint state example comes up for sale once every 10 years and draws a lot of attention from wealthy buyers.
Value (s) in very good (VG-8) and gem mint state (MS-65): As of 2012 the value is estimated at $45,000 in very good condition and is estimated at $250,000 to $350,000 in gem mint condition. These are average trends calculated by using prices sold in the past few years.
Read more about this topic: 50-cent Piece (Canadian Coin)
Famous quotes containing the words fifty cents, fifty and/or cents:
“I asked my mother for fifty cents
To see the elephant jump the fence.
He jumped so high he reached the sky,
And didn’t get back till the Fourth of July.”
—Unknown. I Asked My Mother (l. 1–4)
“In England we have come to rely upon a comfortable time-lag of fifty years or a century intervening between the perception that something ought to be done and a serious attempt to do it.”
—H.G. (Herbert George)
“He will enter your hands
as easily as ten cents used to
bring forth a Coke.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)