1898-S Barber Quarter. MS-67 (NGC).
Here is an amazing Superb Gem example of this scarce and conditionally challenging Barber quarter. Attractively toned in light champagne-gold iridescence, both sides exhibit full mint luster in a lively satin texture. The fields are modestly semi-reflective, and the design elements are fully struck throughout. One of the scarcer early San Francisco Mint Barber quarters, the 1898-S is particularly elusive in Choice AU and Mint State grades. During preparation of our (Bowers and Merena's) April 1997 Eliasberg Collection sale, David Lawrence wrote to Q. David Bowers and commented that the 1898-S is "truly scarce in Mint State as most, if not all, of the mintage went to the Philippines, and coins were not saved in high grades." Lawrence went on to state that, while relatively obtainable in cleaned EF and AU grades (generally coins repatriated from the Philippines), "in Mint State [the 1898-S] is very underrated." The present example is a Condition Census survivor. Remarkable!
PCGS# 5621. NGC ID: 23YF.
NGC Census: 3; 0 finer. The corresponding PCGS Population is 4/1 (MS-67+ finest).
From our sale of the Larry H. Miller Collection, December 2020 Auction, lot 1314; our March 2021 Auction, lot 4070; our Summer 2022 Global Showcase Auction, August, lot 7032.

Estimate: $10000