1886 50C, CAM PR63CAM Certification #21025978, PCGS #86447

Ron Guth

In 1886, mintages of both the Proof and circulation strike Half Dollars declined slighty and both were very small when judged by today's standards (886 Proofs versus 5,000 circulation strikes).  Most of the Mint State examples are Prooflike and some of the Proofs look Mint State, so certification is a must.  Cameo proofs represent approximately 20-25% of the total population and Deep Cameos are seen seldom.  The overall quality of this date is good, and ample quantities exist in a range of grades from PR63 to PR65.  Superb examples are a little tougher to find, but they do show up frequently at auction.